Family Business
by SingerMe
Summary: It's all in the family. ***Thanks to MissLizzyJ for her help in writing, plotting and naming this***
1. Chapter 1

**Family Business**

I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

Set in Season 8

 **AN: I have to give a ton of thanks to MissLizzyJ for helping me plot this and putting up my endless "What do you think" pm's. Thank you!**

 **I haven't abandoned, Unshown moments. I just have this little story that's been begging to get out.**

 **FAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILY**

"Give me two." The dusty cowpoke with a week's growth of beard on his sun dried face tossed two cards face down on the table. He had been steadily losing hand after hand since he'd sat down at the table, but he wasn't quitting. He was just positive that the next hand would be a winning one.

Kitty deftly dealt two cards to him and looked to the gray haired farmer next to him. "Ben?"

Ben looked at his hand and then shook his head. "I'll stand on these, Miss Kitty."

The third man, well dressed and corpulent, watch chain snaking out of his pocket and across his barreled chest, silently tossed three cards, face down on the table and Kitty dealt three more to replace them. Looking at her own hand, her expression never changed as she threw one card down and dealt another to herself.

While the bets were made and the game progressed, Sam kept a protective eye on his employer. She was perhaps the best poker, faro, checker and pool player he'd ever seen and one of the most honest. But not everyone believed that and occasionally, when she'd won some foolish drunks last dime, it became dangerous for her.

Sam felt it his responsibility to keep her safe if he could. His relationship with his employer was difficult to explain. At times she was like a daughter to him, other times his superior but always, his friend and he cared deeply for those he called friend.

"Bartender, a beer if you would." Sam looked up from the glass he was polishing, to see a young man at the end of the bar waiting patiently. Early twenties with reddish blonde hair and blue eyes, his unlined face looked vaguely familiar to Sam but he couldn't immediately place it.

Silently drawing the drink, Sam placed the beer on the bar top in front of him. "That'll be 5 cents."

Throwing a coin onto the bar, the young man looked around the saloon, his eyes lighting up when he saw the poker table where Kitty sat, raking in her latest winnings. "Who is that woman, barkeep?" He asked, nodding to where she sat.

"That's Miss Russell." Sam answered. "She owns this place."

"She does, huh?" He took a deep draught of his drink. "She deals here too?"

"Not usually." Sam shrugged. "The dealers out with the ague and she's just filling in."

The young man nodded. "Looks like she's filling up her coffers as well."

Sam frowned at that comment, unsure of what the boy could mean by that. But before he could ask, the kid took his beer and sauntered over to the table just as Kitty pushed back with a sigh.

"Well, gents, I am going to take myself a little break." Giving the men a smile, she got to her feet, grabbed her winnings and headed to the bar before they could protest or try to stop her.

"I heard you were good." The young man suddenly spoke up causing Kitty to stop and look at him curiously. "I guess what I heard was right."

"Oh?" She asked with an arched brow. "Uh, just exactly what did you hear? And just exactly who are you?"

Stepping up to her, the boy reached out and politely took her hand, kissing the back of it. "Let me introduce myself." He gave her a curt bow. "My name is Wade Russell. I am your brother."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

For several long moments, Kitty stood in stunned silence, staring at the younger man in front of her. "My… my brother?" She finally said in disbelief with a slight smile. "I'm sorry, Mister. But I don't have a brother. I am an only child."

"No, Ma'am. You are not." The boy, with the decidedly southern accent, shook his head as he reached into his pocket and extracted a wallet. Opening it up, he removed a cardboard square and slip of paper and held them out to her. "I do not have a written statement from our father." He said as he handed her the papers. "But I do have this to prove my identity."

Skeptically, Kitty took the items and looked down to see a picture and a birth certificate. The birth certificate declared that a baby boy, named Wade Allen Russell was born to Louisa and Wayne Russell about 7 years after Kitty was born. The picture was of her father, a blonde woman and a little boy that could very well be the younger version of the boy in front of her.

"Uh, suppose I believe what you say." She looked back up at him. "What is it that you want from me?"

"Well, does a man have to want something if he comes to meet his sister?" He asked with his most charming smile.

"If you really are Wayne Russell's son, you do." She handed him back the documents and turned to the bar.

Wade pursed his lips for a second. "I heard you were a very intelligent woman." He started to follow her over to the bar, but tripped over a chair leg, barely managing to catch himself and keep from falling.

Kitty contained her amusement. "I'm smart enough to know when someone wants something from me." She told him when he managed to right himself. "So, why don't you tell me what you want and who you really are?" She leaned down and placed her winnings in a box under the bar, aware of his watching every move she made.

Wade chuckled. "I am who I say I am. And as for _why_ I am here, I told you. I came to meet and get to know my sister."

"Uh, huh." She said, obviously not believing him. "Sorry, not buying it." Leaning wearily against the bar, she propped up her chin in her upturned hand and regarded him suspiciously. "What do you really want?"

For several seconds, Wade waged a war within himself. He did, in fact, want something from her but he hadn't expected she'd figure it out so quickly.

"Well?" Kitty prodded him.

"Oh, alright." He sighed. "Yes, I do need something from you. Something only you can do. But, well, I had hoped we could get to know each other a little better before I asked."

"Uh, huh." Kitty stood erect and shook her head. "Sorry, mister. I'm not loaning you any money or allowing you to control it in order to 'protect' me, like my father offered. So you can just…"

"No, wait." Wade waved a hand to stop her. "Honestly. I did not come here for money. Please, believe me. I did not come here for that at all."

"Then what?" Kitty asked standing erect and crossing her arms against her chest.

"I want you to teach me to play poker, like you do. I know the basics, but I'm nowhere near as good as you are. And I need to be as good as you." He answered seriously, his expression backing up his words.

"Teach you to play poker?" She asked with widened eyes. "What on earth for?"

"Because." He shrugged as though it were a trifling matter. "I entered a poker tournament and I need to win." He quickly added. "I've already bought a seat in it and the train tickets there and back and arranged a hotel room. All I need is the skill to win. Skill you can give me."

Kitty looked at him as though at a mad man. "Are you nuts?"

"No." Wade answered urgently. "Honest. I have a girl back in New Orleans that I want to marry. But her parents won't allow it. They think my job isn't good enough and though I'm comfortable, I have to admit, it's not enough to keep a wife comfortable. But the winnings from that tournament could set me up for life and I could marry Liza Jane."

Kitty frowned at him. "Why on earth did you buy a seat in this thing if you didn't think you could win?"

The young man dropped his head. "Well, when I first found out about it, and bought my seat, I thought I was good enough. But that was before I got into a game with Roger Meade."

"Who's Roger Meade?" She asked, not sure she wanted to know.

"That's the point." He moped. "He's no one. Just a tinhorn from back home that barely knows an ace from a jack and yet he beat me without even trying. After that, I realized there's no way I could win in that tournament. Not without improving my skills that is. And of course, that meant I needed a teacher."

"Well, why come to me?" She was seriously beginning to think she was having a bad dream and would wake up fairly soon. "I happen to know, there are some very good players right there in New Orleans."

"Because, you're one of the best." He said in a matter of fact tone of voice. "Since I was a little kid, I heard about you and our father of course, and how good you both are. I figured there could be no one better to learn from than from family."

Kitty eyed him even more suspiciously. "From that picture you showed me, you more than just heard about Wayne Russell."

"Not really." He sighed. "I was four in that picture and he left mother and me the year after. I've not seen him since. But when he was with us, he told me about you. He said he had a pretty little girl who looked like her mother."

"Hmpf." Kitty shook her head derisively. "And did he tell you why he wasn't with his _pretty little girl_?"

Wade shrugged again. "He said your mother wouldn't let him see you. It wasn't until I was grown and met Panacea Sykes that I found out the truth about his leaving your mother and you when you were a baby and then his sending you to Panacea when your mother died. She's also the one that told me how good you are at cards."

"You know," Kitty scratched her nose. "Panacea was a pretty good poker player too. Why not ask her to teach you. If you really are Wayne Russell's son, I doubt she would've said no."

"How do you think I learned what I already know?" His face told her he was serous. "Besides, from what others have told me, you're better than Panacea and you can teach me so much more."

"What others?" Kitty asked, suspiciously.

"Amarillo Slim Reynolds, Tump Winston, Jim Riley, Tom Diamond, and a few others. There was a big tournament in New Orleans last year and I met all of those men. And most of them seemed to know you, or at least to have heard of you. They all seemed to think highly of your skills."

"Yeah? Well, that's lovely. But it doesn't matter. I'm not going to teach you." Kitty shook her head. "Sorry, but I have better things to do." She turned towards her office but he placed a restraining hand on her arm.

"You've got to!" Wade declared emphatically. "You're my only hope. I'm simply not that good. But I could be if you'd teach me."

"And, uh, what would I get out of it?" She asked, turning back around to him. "I mean, besides the glory of helping a man I've never met before and have no real proof of who he is."

"Well, I thought we could negotiate that." He answered. "I mean, if your price wasn't too high, I'd pay you for your time. And if I couldn't afford it, then well, maybe I could work for you here in exchange for the lessons."

No." Kitty shook her head at him. "Absolutely not. I don't know you, mister. That picture you have and that birth certificate is not enough proof of anything for me. So now, if you'll excuse me." Without giving him a chance to argue, Kitty took the box from under the bar and headed into her office, firmly closing the door behind her.

She didn't know this boy and wasn't sure she wanted to. But she'd had enough of Wayne Russell for the rest of her life. She sure didn't want anything to do with him or his son, if he was his son.

Wade watched her walk off. He knew it would be hard to convince her not only of who he was but of the truth of his mission. But he was determined to do so anyway. The tournament was a little over three weeks away. He had time.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

"Good morning, Sis." Wade greeted her with a smile as she descended the stairs. For three days now, he'd arrived at the saloon about the same time as Sam and made himself available to both the bartender and the woman he insisted on calling 'Sis'.

Kitty had done her best to discourage him, as had Sam, but he ignored them and insisted on being there every day to 'help'. They tried refusing him and tried telling him to just leave, but he refused to listen and pitched in any way when the need arose. And with one dealer and her other bartender Fred out with the ague, and with Louie too sick to help swamp out the place at night, the help certainly was needed, whether it was wanted or not. Of course, he did seem to be a little accident prone and was constantly tripping over something or breaking something.

That fact had caused no small amount of amusement among her other employees and speculation among her patrons. Quite a few people were now whispering about the young peace fuzzed man at the Long Branch claiming to be Kitty Russell's brother. They doubted he could be any relation to the graceful owner of the famed saloon. Kitty heard the gossip, but ignored it. She had better things to do and more of them with her employees down sick.

The ague, Doc had informed her, plagued saint and sinner alike so her barroom and employees were not immune to the ailment that was currently sweeping through Dodge. Matt, who'd had that before was even now riding through the countryside, checking outlying farms and ranches to make sure there wasn't anyone needing help but unable to make it in to see Doc.

Kitty sighed when she saw Wade waiting on her and shook her head. "Wade, how many times have I asked you not to call me that?"

"I know." He nodded. "But you are my sister, whether you agree or not. Besides, I like the sound of it. Growing up an only child, it got kinda lonely, you know."

"Yeah, I know." She answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh." He looked down. "Sorry, I didn't think."

Kitty thought of a quick retort to that remark but held it in check. Smart words wouldn't help anything. "Where's Sam?" She asked instead as she headed to the bar for a cup of coffee.

Wade followed her to the bar and stood beside her while she poured herself a cup and took a sip. "He had an errand to run. I told him I'd watch the place while he was gone. Good?" He nodded towards the cup.

Kitty took another sip and nodded with some surprise. "Yes, it is."

"I hoped you'd liked it." He grinned. "I took the opportunity to make it this morning."

"Well," she shrugged with a slow smile. "You did good. You should run a resturant." She inadvertently took a look around to see how many things he'd broken to make the coffee but was pleasantly surprised to see nothing.

"I've thought about it." Wade shrugged. "I do like to cook but, well, it takes money and all and right now, I don't have it."

Just then the bat wing doors swung open and two men entered. Obviously trail hardened and used to rough ways and rough talk, their very presence promised problems from the moment they walked in. By the skins they wore and the unkempt smell and look of them, it was apparent they were buffalo hunters just into town and looking for trouble.

"Whiskey!" The bigger of the two ordered. "A bottle each."

"Sorry." Kitty met them squarely. "We're not open yet. Town ordinance, we can't sell liquor until after ten." There was no such ordinance, that she was aware of, but she still wasn't going to serve these two.

"Ten?" The man with the black beard and blacker eyes turned towards her with squinted eyes. "Why it's almost that now, red." He grinned showing yellowed teeth. "What ya say we forget that old rule and get us a bottle and go upstairs." He moved closer to Kitty and his breath caused her to gag.

"It's almost eight. And we don't open until ten." She moved back from him with a glare. "And not a second earlier."

"Choley?" The thinner and younger of the two men tugged on his partner's sleeve. "Maybe we oughta jes go on down to the livery, and put up our horses. Time we get back, they'll be open."

"Naw, Jodie." Choley shook his head. "I want me some whiskey and a woman and I'm gonna get em both now."

While the man advanced on Kitty and she backed up, Wade, unnoticed, moved to behind the bar. He'd noticed Sam's shotgun under the counter when he made the coffee and that was his goal now.

"Choley. Come on now." Jodie hauled on his partner's arm again. "Let's not make no trouble."

"I said leave me be." Choley pushed Jodie backwards so hard that he fell and landed on his backside.

Wade chose that moment to seize the shotgun and bring it up, just barely clearing the underside of the bar. "Let her alone." He demanded as he aimed both barrels at Choley's chest. "Back away from the lady and leave her alone."

Kitty took an uneven breath and glanced across at Wade before returning her gaze to her would be attacker. He didn't look too worried about Wade or the shotgun he wielded. "You heard the man." She said coolly. "Now get out of here."

Choley grinned again, this time wider, yellow teeth shining, and he advanced another step towards Kitty. "Uh, huh. Him and that scattergun don't scare me none. I betcha he ain't got what it takes to fire it."

Wade stiffened and fired one barrel at the man's feet, instantly aiming again at the ogre's chest. "I got another barrel, Mister. Now, I said to leave her alone."

Without notice, Choley pulled his own pistol and aimed it directly at Kitty. "You willing to bet I can't get off a shot before you can?" His smile took on evil proportions and Kitty was beginning to be actually afraid of the outcome of this standoff.

Wade showed no signs of nervousness or worry as he brought the other hammer back and locked it into place, his finger just hovering over the trigger. "I only bet when I know I can win." He said evenly. "And I have no doubts of my victory here."

For several moments, everyone in the room froze. Jodie, who'd picked himself up off of the floor, decided he didn't need any whiskey and was slowly backing towards the exit.

Kitty, standing perfectly still, warily watched the man in front of her, wondering what he was planning. Wade, expressionless, kept his eyes locked on the buffalo man and refused to move his finger from the trigger or flinch when Choley cocked his own pistol.

"Let's see who breaks first." Choley smiled as he aimed squarely at Kitty's heart.

"Let's not." Matt spoke up from the doorway. "Now if that scatter gun isn't enough to convince you to leave the lady alone, maybe this pistol of mine will."

Choley's head quickly swiveled and his smile faded when he saw Matt behind him, gun aimed at his head and Jodie standing helpless at the end of Chester's rifle. Realizing he was outnumbered, Choley un-cocked his gun and let it drop to the floor.

"You alright, Kitty?" Matt asked as he stepped over and kicked the gun away from the bandit.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Matt." She nodded as she looked over at Wade. "You?"

With a tinge of green to his complexion, Wade nodded as he sat the shotgun heavily on the bar top, inadvertently firing the remaining barrel into the wall. "Yes." He swallowed hard. "I am fine. Sorry about the wall."

Kitty sighed with a resigned shake of her head, then looked back at Matt a little curiously. "Matt, how did you know what was going on in here?"

"That one." Matt jerked a thumb in Jodie's direction. "Me and Chester saw him backing out of here looking guilty of something and we decided to check it out. What happened?"

"I'll explain it all later." Kitty smiled fondly at Wade for the first time since she'd met him. "Why don't you and Chester get those two out of here while my brother and I have a little chat?"

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

While Matt and Chester hauled the buffalo men down to the jail, Kitty locked the front doors of the saloon and then pulled Wade to a table, pouring them both some coffee. "I want to thank you, Wade, for what you did."

Wade shook his head with a blush. "I didn't do all that much, Kitty, besides shoot your wall and your floor. The Marshal and Chester actually saved the day. I just kept the man busy until they got here." He looked over at the shotgun on the bar and then the wall. "Uh, I'm sorry about the floor and wall by the way."

"It won't be the first time the floor and wall were shot up, so I'm not too worried about that." Kitty smiled sincerely at him. "But I do have to say, I was impressed that you knew how to handle a shotgun like that."

"Well, I didn't, really." He shrugged. "I've seen it done a couple of times though and I figured I could do it. Guess I was right."

KItty swallowed hard at that one, realizing that she might've been in even more danger had things not gone right. "Well," she bobbed her head, "I still thank you for trying to protect me. I appreciate that."

"You called me your brother." Wade pointed out. "Does that mean you believe that I am?"

Kitty took a deep breath with a shrug. "Let's just say, I'm a little more open to the idea."

"Is that all?" Wade watched her closely.

"No, I'll teach you how to play better. But that's it." She raised a hand to wave off any other requests he might have. "I'm not sure my teaching you will do any good but I'm willing to try anyway. Okay?"

"Thank you, Kitty." He beamed at her. "I promise you, I'll learn and I'll make you proud."

"Yeah." Kitty sighed as she got up. "I'm sure."

That night, Matt sat on her settee, listening as she recounted the events of the morning and frowning when she told him of her deal to teach Wade poker.

"Kitty, are you sure that will work? I've not been to one of those tournaments but I've heard they're only for the best of the best of players. Do you think you can teach him enough in three weeks to be that good?"

Kitty shrugged as she sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't know, Matt. But I'm going to try."

"Well, I don't like the idea." He informed her. "I've never liked you dealing in the first place and now to teach that boy..." He stopped and took a breath. "And when I think of the danger he put you in with that shotgun..."

"It'll be alright, Matt. I wasn't hurt and he did just fine with the shotgun and will do just fine with the cards." She silenced him with a kiss. "Now, can we talk about something else?"

Matt pulled back for another kiss. "Let's not talk at all."

Over the next week and a half, every chance she got, Kitty would pull Wade into her office, sit him down and deal a hand of cards. Wade did pick things up quicker than she expected but it didn't take her long to realize he'd never have the skills she possessed and it would take those skills to win in a tournament such as he was going to.

Kitty remembered Matt questioning his ability the night she'd agreed to this plan and now she knew he was right. Wade wasn't getting it.

"Wade." Kitty sat back in her chair after their latest training session, watching him wipe off the blood from the paper cut he'd gotten from the cards. "Are you sure you don't want to call this off? You know the tournament's still a couple of days off. I'm sure if you wired them today, you could probably get your money back for your seat, or at least most of it."

Wade put up his kerchief and looked over at her with a downturned expression. "You don't think I can win, do you?"

Kitty saw no reason to lie. "No, Wade. I'm sorry, but I don't. You are picking up on some things but there is so much that goes into this. Some of the little things that could win or lose the game for you, you're just not getting."

"Then show those little things to me again and I will get them, Kitty, I promise. I have to. I…" Wade suddenly stopped talking and started coughing. Laying the back of his hand against his mouth, he turned his head as his body was wracked with spasms of harsh barking coughs.

"Wade?" Kitty leaned over, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You alright?"

Wade looked up into her concerned face and forced a smile to his lips. He actually didn't feel good at all, but he felt his need to learn this game and win it was more important than his health at the present time. "I'm okay." He stifled another cough. "Guess, I just swallowed wrong."

"You sure?" She questioned. "You know, Doc says the ague is still going around and…"

"I'm fine, Kitty." He reassured her, straightening himself up in the chair with some effort. "I'm really alright. Now, can we please get back to my training?"

Kitty wasn't sure he was fine but as he refused to give in or quit, and she had promised to help, she picked up the cards with a sigh and a shake of her head and dealt another hand.

A couple of evenings later, as Doc and Kitty sat at a back table talking, Kitty looked up to the front, near the bar, where Wade sat alone, nursing a beer and playing an endless hand of solitaire. She had suggested to him that perhaps it would help him to learn some of the nuances of handling cards. She hadn't mentioned, any more at least, that no matter how much solitaire he played or how many hands she dealt to him, he'd most likely never really be a good poker player.

Matt had left to attend a trial in Hays and Kitty was missing him and wishing he was there to explain to Wade, what she, so far, hadn't been able to. Wade was not a poker player.

"How's Wade's playing skills coming along?" Doc asked as he sipped his beer and cast a professional eye on the young man, who'd just managed to knock his empty beer mug over. He hadn't missed the young man's pale skin and sometimes heavy coughing. He'd offered to examine Wade but had been soundly rebuffed.

"I'm perfectly alright, Dr. Adams." He'd declared earlier, when Doc had asked him to come to his office. Doc thought about how he sounded an awful lot like a certain saloon owner he knew.

"They're not." Kitty slid her eyes over to the young man she was beginning more and more to accept as her brother. "He wants to be, so badly, but he just doesn't have what it takes. I've tried to talk him into quitting, but he's just not willing to listen to me."

"Stubborn." Doc diagnosed. "Like someone else I know." He grinned at her and earned a scowl as his reward.

"I just wish I could convince him to let this go." She continued. "He's really a good man, and I hate to see him hurt like he will be if he loses. It's just..."

"Doc!" Sam's voice interrupted them and they both turned to see him standing beside Wade who was now slumped lifelessly over the table, an ace of spades clutched tightly in his hand.

"Oh, Heaven's." Doc muttered as he grabbed his bag and hurried over to the young man, Kitty right beside him. It didn't take Doc long to determine that Wade was a very sick man and he quickly corralled a couple of men to carry him up to his office.

"Doc?" Kitty's voice betrayed her worry.

"I don't know yet, Kitty." Doc said as he hurried along behind his patient.

A couple of hours later, Kitty sat beside Wade, sponging his forehead with a cool cloth as Doc once again listened to his heart and lungs.

"Well?" She watched Doc pull his stethoscope from his ears and remove his glasses.

"He's sick, Kitty." Doc sighed. "Very sick. As a matter of fact, I think he's gone beyond the ague that a lot of people around here had and on into pneumonia. His lungs have fluid in them and he's having a tough time breathing."

Kitty looked down at the young man she'd undoubtedly become fond of. "Well, he… he won't… he won't die, will he?"

Doc shrugged and started to reply but was stopped by the frail lad in the bed. "No." His voice was weak and a little tinny but his eyes shown bright. "I…" he struggled for breath. "I have to… go… go to…"

"No, Wade." Kitty shook her head. "You can't go anywhere. You're too sick. You need to stay right here and forget about that game."

"I can't." He replied, his tone plaintive and sad. "If I… don't win… I… will lose every… everything. My… my life depends… on this."

"Well, you're not going, that's all there is to it." Doc shook his head. "I'm sorry young man but you're just too sick."

Ignoring Doc's words and the press of Kitty's hand on his shoulder, Wade struggled to right himself and get up. He was determined to go whether Doc said he could or not.

"Here!" Doc practically yelled and unsuccessfully tried to get the bull-headed boy to lie back. "Lay down there. You're in no shape to go anywhere. Wade… Kitty. Kitty, make him lie back down."

"I'll go." Kitty said soberly, locking eyes with Wade. "If you'll stay here and let Doc take care of you, I'll go."

"Go?" Doc frowned at her and then back at his patient. "Go…"

"That's right, Doc." Kitty let out a breath as she stood from the chair. "I'm going to a poker tournament."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I generally try to reply to all reviews individually but I've kinda got back logged and have't been able to. I do want to thank all of you for the reviews and hope you do continue to enjoy the story.**

 **Oh and I unashamedly stole the idea behind this chapter from Gold Mine. Just being honest.**

"She went where!?" Matt paced around the bar room of the temporarily closed Long Branch. Sam, when he saw the mood of the lawman, had closed and locked the doors to keep out prying eyes and ears. The Marshal was obviously furious, at learning Miss Kitty had left town alone, and Sam didn't feel the rest of the town needed to know that.

As he paced, Matt glared at the three men sitting in chairs before him. He had left two days before Wade had taken sick and returned three days after to find Kitty gone the day before and her so-called brother was lying in a room upstairs, recovering from pneumonia. According to Doc, she'd taken the train and left for a poker tournament in San Francisco. "And you three just let her go!" Matt continued to pace.

"Well, it ain't our fault, Mr. Dillon." Chester answered defensively, leaning far back in his chair as his boss stepped near him. "I tried to talk her out of it. Doc and even Sam, here, did too. But you know, you cain't make Miss Kitty do nothing. She said she was a going and she went."

"Oh, she went alright." Matt paced back and forth in front of the men, forefingers jammed into his back pockets casting an occasional annoyed glare at the men who sat in chairs watching him warily.

"I'm sorry, Marshal." Sam was apologetic. "But short of locking her in her room I couldn't stop her. And I doubt I could've kept her in her room if I did."

"Matt, you know if there'd been a way to stop her we would've. But we didn't have any say in this. She's an adult not a child or a pet you can tie up somewhere." Doc pointed out.

Suddenly Chester snickered and all eyes turned to him. "What's so funny?" Matt demanded with a scowl.

"Oh, I was just thinkin' on what Doc said." Chester answered with a grin. "You know, what with Miss Kitty's name being Kitty and Doc a saying she's not a pe…" His grin disappeared when he took a look at Matt's ever angrier expression.

"Matt." Doc decided to intervene before Chester got himself into even hotter water than he already was. "You know you can't dictate to Kitty what to do. You don't own her you know. Kitty pretty much does what she wants, and this is something she wanted to do."

"Yeah." Matt grumbled as he waved a hand in the general direction of the upstairs rooms. "For a stranger."

"Well," Doc rubbed a hand across his mustache to hide a grin, conscious of Matt's ire. "She probably would've done a whole lot more for someone she knew; only he wasn't here."

"Well, Heaven's, Mr. Dillon." Chester shook his head, not getting Doc's point. "He ain't no stranger. He's her brother, Miss Kitty said so and he does too."

"Saying a thing and it being the truth are two different things, Chester." Matt glared at him. "Don't you all see it? This could be some sort of trick or something. Did she even have any proof that there really was a poker tournament going on there?"

"She did." Doc answered. "She sent some wires to verify it before she ever got on that train. The game, and as far as she can tell, Wade Russell, are legitimate."

"That's right, Marshal." Sam spoke up. "I saw the telegraph's myself. The tournament is taking place at the El Dorado Gambling Saloon in Portsmouth Square, San Francisco. A man by the name of James McCabe, owner of the saloon, replied to her personally and confirmed it and also agreed to allow her to take her brother's place. But she sent a wire to someone else she knew to double check on that and got the same answer."

"I don't care how many answers she got." Matt waved a hand before running it through thick disheveled hair. "She has no business there."

"Well, now," Doc got up, tired of the conversation. "Isn't it a shame that the law wasn't here to tell her that?"

"I had to be in Hays for that trial, Doc." Matt protested. "You know that."

"Yeah, I know that." Doc nodded. "And I know that she might not've gone if you'd been here." His scowl was as fierce as the marshal's. He understood Matt's anger and worry but he was tired of him, Chester and Sam taking the brunt of it.

"I couldn't help that. I have responsibilities, you know." Matt raised his voice, causing Chester to cringe and hastily exit his chair and back up. Sam likewise rose but headed to the bar.

"Yeah, I know." Doc nodded, his mustache swipe was now intended to hide his irritation. "And I know, as she does, where she falls on that scale."

Sam, who reached his place behind the bar, could see the heated glares between the two friends and sought to sooth things before words were said that couldn't be taken back. "Marshal, we all know that you're worried about Miss Kitty. And I don't think you could've stopped her, even if you were here. But none of that matters now, does it? I mean now that you're back, maybe you could take a trip out there and bring her home."

Matt took a deep breath and shook his head as he studied the floor. "No, I can't." His voice lost the bitter tone to be replaced by chagrin. "Some senator is coming in on the train day after tomorrow. I have to be here to greet him and provide security for him and his aide. I can't go anywhere until they leave."

"Well, what in the world are they a comin' here for?" Chester asked.

"I don't know, Chester." Matt answered. "I won't know till they get here and I can't go until they leave."

Doc heard the contrite tone of Matt's voice and understood, probably better than Sam or Chester either one, how torn he now was and regretted his barbs at the law man. "She'll be alright, Matt." He assured him. "She can take care of herself."

"Why sure, she can." Chester joined in with a chipper note. "Miss Kitty will be just fine. I'm sure of it."

"I wish I were." Matt muttered as he turned and left the saloon.

Up in one of Kitty's extra rooms, Wade lay back on the bed in thoughtful silence. He'd heard the men's conversation below and it didn't take a genius to know why the marshal was so angry. He didn't blame him, actually. He was a stranger and the Marshal had no reason to trust him. At least not yet. But as he closed his eyes and relaxed, Wade Russell set his mind to turning that situation around.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

"Marshal Dillon?"

That afternoon, Matt looked up from the paperwork on his desk, to see Wade standing unsteadily in the doorway. A gun on his hip that looked too big for him and an outfit that simply screamed, 'dude trying to be a cowboy'. Matt would've laughed but he wasn't in a very jovial mood at the moment.

"Thought Doc said you were sick and supposed to be in bed." Matt's voice was as gruff as he meant it to be.

"He suggested it." Wade smiled. "But I've not always been the best at heeding suggestions I don't like."

"Yeah, I know someone like that." Matt muttered. "What can I do for you, Mister?" He didn't rise and he didn't offer a chair or coffee to the young man.

Wade took no offense and came fully into the room, tripping over the door frame as he entered. But he caught himself before he could fall and moved over, taking a chair by the small table and sitting down. "I came to talk to you, Marshal. I know you're concerned about Kitty and you don't trust me because you don't know me. But.."

"You're right." Matt interrupted him. "I don't know you. And right now, I'm not sure I want to. By getting Kitty to go out to San Francisco for you, you might very well have put her in danger. Did you ever think about that?"

"I never asked her to go." Wade pointed out. "She volunteered. As for her being in danger, I doubt that. She's very good at cards and from what I saw, very good at dealing with the type of men who handle them."

Matt glared at the cowboy want to be. A plaid shirt, leather vest and tooled leather boots didn't make this kid a westerner who understood the way things were out on the frontier or how men who handled cards, handled women who were alone.

"Look, Mister. Other than getting Kitty involved in your problems, I have no idea why you're here in Dodge or here in my office. So why don't you tell me?"

"My name is Wade Russell. I am Kitty's brother and you can quit being so hostile to me." Wade answered. "I didn't come out here to create problems or get anyone involved in them. I came to ask my sister to teach me to play cards and to get to know her. And Kitty _is_ my sister no matter what you think. I plan on becoming a part of her life and making her a part of mine." He met Matt's angry glare evenly. "And I plan on doing it publically, Marshal. Not hidden from everyone."

Matt took a deep breath before he said something he knew he'd probably regret later. Finally getting to his feet, he gave himself a couple more minutes by heading to the stove for a cup of coffee. "Kitty is a good friend of mine." Matt finally turned back to Wade. "I care about what happens to her and I will not sit idly by and let you or anyone else hurt or use her."

"A friend?" Wade arched a brow.

Matt opened his mouth to reply when the jail door was suddenly flung open and Wilbur Jonas stumbled in. "Marshal Dillon, you'd better come. Chester's over to my store and there's a tough there trying to make trouble with him."

Matt sat his cup down, grabbed his gun and hat and ran out of the door in front of Jonas, leaving Wade where he sat. But Wade wasn't content to sit and wait and he quickly rose and followed behind Matt and the grocer.

When he arrived, Matt had already come to a halt and was facing down a brute just barely smaller than he was. Thick waisted with a broad chest, and not one, but two pistols hanging from his hips, he snarled as Matt approached.

"What do you want, lawman?" He growled.

"Watch out, Mr. Dillon." Chester warned as he struggled to his feet behind the ogre.

He had been on his way to Doc's for some kind of medicine when he heard Jonas crying out upon seeing the bandit stealing an apple from his boardwalk display. Not sure of where his boss was and certain this was one thing he could handle on his own, he'd confronted the thief and demanded that he return the stolen merchandise. It had gone downhill from there.

"Sure." The bully had grinned as he threw the apple to the ground and then jumped Chester, pummeling him to the ground.

Jonas, understanding that Chester was outmatched had gone for Matt. And now here Matt was, trying to resolve the problem without gunplay or anyone getting hurt. "What's this all about, Mister." Matt kept his right hand close to his gun.

"Ain't about nothing." The filthy man shrugged. "I was just minding my own business when this fella here jumped me. I was just defending myself. Nothing for you to get involved in."

"He's a liar, Mr. Dillon." Chester objected loudly as he swayed a little on his feet. "He was a stealing an apple from Mr. Jonas and I was stopping him."

The thief cast a jaundiced eye at Chester before abruptly grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, drawing his gun and placing it against the now frightened assistant's head. "Now you all just keep yer distance, ya hear." He ordered. "Drop your gun lawman unless you want this gimp here shot."

"I'm not going to do that, Mister." Matt shook his head. "But you need to."

The scruffy man cocked his pistol and pressed it tighter to Chester's temple. "I said drop your gun, Lawman."

Seeing no other option, without getting Chester shot, Matt did as he was ordered.

Chester gasped, trying to stay on his feet and pull his head away from the gun. He was certain the end was near.

Standing well behind and to the side of Matt, Wade witnessed the confrontation with interest and no small amount of awe and fear. Though New Orleans had seen its fair share of duels, they were ordered and neat, nothing of this sort. The way things looked at this moment, the marshal and Chester were both sure to be shot by this villain as he watched.

Wade had never been the bravest of people but he didn't feel that he could just stand by and do nothing. And after all he'd faced down that man in the saloon so he should be able to help here. Slowly, he backed away and even more to the right moving his hand to his newly purchased gun.

Matt saw Wade out of the corner of his eye but he didn't let it distract him. The bandit with a gun on Chester was his main concern. "Look, Mister. There's no need for this. Drop your gun and no one gets hurt. You only took an apple. I won't even lock you up for that."

"No." The petty thief shook his head. "I know better than that. I ain't letting go of my gun or this fellow either."

Before Matt could reply or even take a breath, a gun fired and the man, with a sincere look of confusion on his face, dropped his gun and fell face first onto the street, his gun firing as it hit the ground.

Chester, who'd been getting increasingly lightheaded, rubbed a hand across his face before his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell lifelessly to the ground.

Matt whirled around to see where the shot came from and saw Wade smile happily at him before he closed his eyes and Wade too went down.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

"How is he, Doc?" Matt asked as he came into Doc's office, hat in hand. As soon as the dust cleared, Matt had checked each man and found them all alive but hurt. Summoning help, he and several townsmen had carried Chester and Wade up to Doc's office and the bandit to the jail.

The bandit, Matt now knew his name to be Tate Rainey, was wounded in the upper back. The wound was not serious or life threatening and it hadn't taken Doc long to treat him but only after he'd attended to Chester and Wade.

"Which one?" Doc asked with a swipe of his mustache.

"Well, all of them really." Matt shrugged. "But I was thinking of Chester. He looked awful bad when we got him up here."

"Well, he's sick, Matt." Doc headed for the coffee pot. "Most likely the ague that everyone else has had. He'll be alright eventually, but he'll be down for a few days at least."

Matt let out a breath with a nod. "And Wade?"

At the mention of his name, Doc grinned. "Oh, he'll be fine too. I sent him on back to the Long Branch. You know, I still can't figure out how he got shot in the rear end."

Matt shook his head with his own smile. "Well, best I can tell is, he turned to leave just when Rainey fell and his gun went off hitting him in the back side. Not a good place to be shot."

Doc couldn't help it as he chuckled loudly. "Nope, sure isn't. But as painful as it might be, it's not life threatening and he'll be just fine. He just won't be sitting around much."

Matt shook his head before glancing at the door to the back room. "Can I see Chester?"

Doc nodded. "Just don't stay long. He needs a lot of rest."

"Thanks." Matt responded as he swiftly moved to the door, opened it and entered.

Chester was awake but barely. "Mis… Mr. Dillon." He smiled weakly upon seeing his boss. "You alright?"

Matt nodded, returning the smile. "I'm fine. You're the one sick. Doc says you've the ague like a lot of other folks had."

"He told me." Chester frowned. "Sure don't like being abed when you might be needing me, Mr. Dillon."

Matt reached over and placed a comforting hand on Chester's arm. "Don't you worry about me. I'll be fine. You just rest and take it easy and do what Doc tells you. Alright?"

"Alright." Chester answered as Matt turned back for the door. "Uh, Mr. Dillon?" Chester stopped him as he reached for the knob. "Miss Kitty's brother. You gonna have him as your assistant while I'm laid up? I mean, he was the one that stopped that thief out there."

Matt could tell the thought bothered Chester and quickly he shook his head. "Don't you worry about that, Chester. I don't want anyone else making my coffee for me but you. Okay?"

Chester smiled, finally relaxing against his pillows. "Yes, sir."

After leaving the room and telling Doc he'd be back later to check on his assistant, Matt left the office and quickly walked down to the saloon. After a nod to Sam, Matt climbed the stairs and knocked on his door.

After several minutes, the door was jerked open and Wade looked up at Matt with a grin. "Marshal? Come to check on your future brother in law?" He asked as he opened the door wider and motioned for Matt to come in.

Matt ignored the question and refused to enter the room. "Doc said you were going to be okay."

"Yes, eventually." He nodded. "As long as I don't sit down. Why?"

"I was wondering why you did that down there." Matt watched his face closely. "Why'd you shoot that man?"

"Because he was going to shoot your assistant." Wade shrugged. "And then probably you. Kitty obviously cares for you. I couldn't stand idly by and let you get hurt."

"Uh huh." Matt tucked his thumbs into his gunbelt. "Well, let me tell you something, Mister. It's my job to keep people from shooting others. Not yours. You could've gotten worse than a hole in your backside. You could've gotten yourself and several others killed." Matt's anger at the situation was obvious but Wade didn't flinch.

"That's true." He agreed. "But then again, that man could've killed you, Chester and all those others you mentioned if I hadn't. Now isn't that true too?"

Matt reined in his temper and his desire to backhand him. "I can't do anything to you for what you did today." Matt adjusted his stance and leaned closer. "But the next time you try a stunt like that; I will lock you up and throw away the key. You understand?"

Wade grinned. "Oh, I understand, Marshal. I understand."

Shaking his head in irritation, Matt favored the younger man with a scowl before he turned and left.

Wade watched him until he was out of sight before finally closing the door and walking slowly over to a chair, leaning on the back. "Yes sirree, Marshal." He sighed. "I fully understand that you don't want help. But I also understand that you need it. And whether you want it or not, you're going to get it. I owe that much to Kitty."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Kitty walked smartly through the Palace Hotel and out onto the street beyond. She'd been back in the city she loved for a little over a day and was just now getting re-acquainted with the sights and sounds and smells of the city by the bay. She'd began to think that she'd never make it back here and though disappointing, she'd accepted it, knowing what she'd traded it for. Matt was worth more than any city.

But she was back now and though she'd only be here for a few days, and most of that time would be spent in a gambling parlor, she intended to make the most of what free time she did have. The first thing she wanted to do was look up a couple of friends, that is, if they were still around. Then she had a certain restaurant that she wanted at least one meal in. A restaurant she couldn't have afforded last time.

As she walked out of the hotel doors, she never noticed the two men who were just entering.

"Hey, did you see that?" The one man, medium height, bald head and goatee asked his companion. "I think that's the woman that's playing in the tournament."

The man, he spoke to, turned quickly but saw no one other than the doorman as he shut the door on a hackney cab and sent it on its way. The blinds were drawn on the carriage and the tall man with thinning hair never saw the occupant. "Missed her." He shook his head. "What did she look like?"

"You'll have to see her to believe her." His friend chuckled. "But trust me; that is one pretty woman. She probably won't be much good at the table, of course. I mean, she is a woman after all and we both know most women are no good at the men's game of poker. But she'll at least be something pleasant to look at during our first round."

The tall man joined him in the laugh. "You're probably right. I've only known a couple of women who could hold their own at a poker table and I know it's neither of them so this one most likely won't be around long."

As the two men went on into the hotel, Kitty sat back in the carriage with a smile. She didn't know if she was good enough to win this tournament or not. It'd been sometime since she'd played for stakes as high as these were bound to be and with gamblers as skilled or even more skilled as she was. But she was determined to enjoy herself whether she did or not.

Back in Dodge, Matt Dillon was by no means enjoying himself. Chester was seriously ill and though he didn't necessarily miss his coffee, he did miss him to a certain extent. Of course that probably had a lot to do with his self-appointed replacement.

Though still healing from his gunshot wound, Wade Russell had deemed himself to be Matt's shadow. Walking was a little painful but not nearly as painful as sitting so he walked, following Matt anywhere and anytime he could find him. Well, almost everywhere. There were a few places Matt absolutely refused to allow him entry to.

"You know, Marshal." Wade commented as he followed Matt down the street to the Post Office. "This really is a fairly peaceful town. I mean considering."

"Considering what?" Matt arched a brow at him.

"I mean considering this is the wild west and so many people run around here with guns on and all." Wade answered.

"You mean, like you?" Matt looked pointedly down at the gun Wade insisted on wearing.

Wade's face flushed for a second but he squared his shoulders as he looked up at Matt. "If I hadn't been wearing this gun yesterday, you most likely would be dead."

"I highly doubt that." Matt answered as he turned away and continued his walk at a slightly faster pace, hoping to discourage his follower.

But tenaciously, Wade stayed on his heels despite the pain in his backside. He had something to prove to this tall man that his sister was so taken with and he had something he wanted the big man to prove to him. Was the big man as taken with his sister?

"Can you please tell me why we're walking so fast?" Wade gasped when they finally reached the Post Office.

"I'm not walking fast." Matt answered. "I'm just going about my job. I have no idea what you're doing."

"I'm trying to get to know you." Wade answered. "You're obviously important to my sister and I want to know what she sees in you. And what you see in her."

Matt turned slowly with a frown to look at the younger man. "Are you asking me what my intentions are towards Kitty?"

"I am." Wade answered, with a grimace. The walk over had done him more harm than he expected and right then he was beginning to feel lightheaded. "I want to know if you… if you're…"

Matt just barely had time to dive forward and catch the young man before he fainted dead away. "Oh, great." He groaned as he picked up the younger man and carried him back up to Doc's office.

A while later, Doc straightened up and stepped over to the wash basin, washing his hands and drying them. "Well, young man, I don't know what you thought you were doing but you tore several of those stitches I put in you and set your recovery back a few days."

"I was trying to have a conversation with my sister's beau." Wade grunted as he struggled to right himself and get up.

"Here, stop that." Doc pushed him back down onto his stomach when it dawned on him what Wade had said. "Your sister's what?"

"Her beau." Wade answered. "I was trying to find out how he felt about her but he walks so dang fast, I practically had to run to catch up to him and that's when… well, when I tore the stitches."

Doc's eyes widened. "Did you call Marshal Dillon that to his face?" He questioned.

"Well, not in those words but I did ask him what his intentions were towards her." Wade answered.

Doc couldn't help himself as he began to laugh. He knew of Matt and Kitty's relationship and even encouraged it, but he didn't realize it was that obvious to everyone else. He could only imagine the look on Matt's face when this young upstart brother demanded to know what he was doing with his sister.

"What's so funny?" Matt asked from the doorway. After delivering Wade to Doc, he'd left to attend to a couple of matters and had just come back to check on the boy.

"Oh, oh." Doc answered merrily. "The next few days around here are going to be very interesting."

TBC

 **AN: There really was a Palace Hotel in San Francisco at that time in history. Purportedly one of the finer hotels in the city.**


	9. Chapter 9

Sitting back in the uncomfortable seat of the hired carriage, Kitty tried to relax and enjoy the passing scenery as the four wheeled coupe wended its way around San Francisco, up one street, around another and past areas she was completely unfamiliar with. San Francisco had grown since she was there last and changed. And not all of the change was good, based upon some of the areas they passed through.

Closing her eyes, Kitty thought back to years prior when she was a young girl in a strange town trying to make a life with the man she thought she loved. But Cole had shown her how unworthy of her love he'd been and she'd been forced into a way of life she hadn't wanted and yet knew no way out of in order to survive. If it hadn't of been for the kindness of a man named Danny Wilson, she might never have left San Francisco and would've never found Dodge or Matt.

It was Danny she was going to see now, or at least try to. She didn't even know if he was still in San Francisco or if he'd even remember her. But she remembered him and wanted to at least try in some way to thank him for the kindness he'd done her.

"Whoa!" The driver interrupted her thoughts as he brought the open topped carriage to a stop in front of a decrepit looking building. "Here's your stop, Miss." The nervous acting man turned back to her. "You sure you want to get off here?"

"Yes." Kitty answered. "Why?"

"Well, this ain't exactly the best neighborhood." He answered, taking a slow look around the seedy area. "Maybe I ought to just take you back to the hotel."

"No." Kitty answered as she rose and accepted his hand to climb down. "This is where I wanted to come to. Will you wait?"

The coachman took another look around and then back to his passenger. "Uh… how long?"

"Well, I don't know exactly." Kitty lightly shrugged. "I'm trying to find a friend of mine. The last time I saw him he was staying at this hotel here. But I don't know if he still is." She glanced at the uncomfortable expression on the driver's face. "Tell you what, give me just a couple of minutes to check inside for him and if he's not here, we'll go."

"Alright." He nodded as he retreated to the safety of his seat. "But I want paid for this trip first."

Shaking her head, Kitty handed him money and then turned and headed inside to inquire about Danny Wilson. But she had no sooner gone inside when she heard the driver snap the reins of his horse and take off at a fast pace. With a sigh, she continued on to the paint frayed front desk. At first glimpse, she saw no one behind the counter but when she leaned over, she saw a slight little man with a pencil thin mustache and greasy hair, lounging in a chair, apparently asleep.

"Uh, excuse me." She called. The snores emanating from the sleeping man didn't stop. "Excuse me!" She called louder and banged lightly on the dirty countertop.

"Uh, uh. What?" The little man opened his eyes and peered around, only managing to sit up when he saw Kitty in front of him. "Uh, oh." He managed to pry himself from the chair and looked at her inquiringly. "Can I help you?"

"Yes." Kitty nodded. "I am trying to find a friend of mine. He used to live here, several years ago. His name is Danny Wilson."

"Wilson?" The man scratched the back of his head. "Uh, no. No. Don't know any Danny Wilson. Ain't nobody here by that name anyway."

"Oh." Kitty's voice showed her disappointment. "Well, is there anyone around here that might've been here about 10 years ago?"

"Naw." The thin little man shook his head. "Most people from that far back are dead or moved."

"Oh." Kitty repeated. "Well, thank you, anyway." She started to turn and leave but remembered her driver had left. "Say, is there some way to get a cab around here? My driver had to leave, apparently."

"I'll drive ya, lady." A deep voice spoke up from behind her.

Kitty turned to see a tall, unshaved man with filthy clothes on a filthy body. His oily brown hair was too long and lying lankly on his shoulders. "Uh, thank you. But no thank you." She answered as she tried to walk past him.

But he apparently wasn't willing to let her go. "I said, I'll drive ya." He reached out and took her arm. "That is after I drive ya, if you know what I mean." He snickered and his breath was enough to cause nausea.

"Let me go." Kitty demanded. "I said no."

"I don't care." He answered as he forcefully pulled her to him.

"Well, I do." Another voice spoke up from the doorway. "Now, the lady said to let her go and I do believe she meant it."

Both Kitty and her would be assailant turned to see a well dressed man with a fine tailored suit and derby hat standing near the door, a gun in his hand and pointed directly at the despicable man's head.

Instantly the brute released Kitty's arm and took a step back. Having no gun of his own, he understood he would not win in this duel. "Alright, mister. I ain't doing nothing. Just offering the lady a ride."

"Yeah, I know what you were offering." The dapper gentleman replied. "Miss?" He looked over at Kitty. "I would be pleased to give you a lift back to your hotel, if you would like. My carriage is just outside."

Kitty didn't know this man or even particularly trust him over the ogre that had grabbed her but right then he seemed the better of two evils. "Thank you." She nodded and quickly made her way to the doorway and out to the street beyond where her rescuer soon joined her.

"Come on, Miss Russell." He gently took her arm and helped her up into a two wheeled phaeton.

Kitty quietly got into the carriage and waited as he climbed aboard next to her, took the reins and started the horse on it's way before speaking. "Want to tell me who you are and where you came from?"

The red headed man with the beautiful hazel eyes grinned over at her. "My name's William Helmick." He answered. "Most folks call me Ace High Helmick and we are going to playing against each other in the tournament."

TBC

 **AN: I know that Ace High Helmick wasn't introduced until in the Season 10 episode, 20 Miles to Dodge. But there's nothing in that episode that states that Kitty and he couldn't have met before that time.**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Somethings going on with FF. I've gotten notice of several reviews and messages that don't show up here and the system won't let me reply to them. I apologize if I've not responded to anyone but it's not letting me.**

On the way back to the Palace Hotel, Helmick explained to Kitty how he had come to be there in time to rescue her. "Honest, Miss Russell, I truly did just happen to be in the neighborhood. I may be financially solvent, but not all of my friends are and one of them lives in that area. I was coming from his place when I saw you going into that flea bitten dump and I admit; I was concerned for you."

"But how do you know who I am?" Kitty asked still not certain she believed him.

"I make it my business to know who I'm up against in a game of this magnitude." He answered. "When I found out that one of the players was a lady, I was normally curious so I had the hotel clerk point you out." He slid a smile in her direction. "I have to say, I wasn't disappointed."

"No offense, Mr. Helmick." Kitty rolled her eyes. "But I couldn't care less if you were or weren't. I am here to play poker, nothing more."

"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded. "But there's no one saying we couldn't combine business with pleasure."

"Yes there is." Kitty answered with a smug smile. "Me."

When they returned to the hotel, Kitty demurely shook Helmick's hand, thanked him for the assistance and the ride and then quickly made her way into the hotel. She was grateful for the man's help, and she didn't want to seem ungracious but she had no intentions of any sort of 'pleasure' with Ace High Helmick. That was reserved for someone else.

Helmick grinned as he watched her go. He could tell his valiant rescue and charm hadn't swayed her in his direction. But he wasn't quite ready to give in just yet. Kitty Russell was a very beautiful woman and Will 'Ace High' Helmick, certainly liked beautiful women.

As Kitty made her way to her room, she never noticed the short rotund man whose eyes were glued to her. Albert Brady was not a gambler in the traditional sense but he did wager his money when he felt the risk was worth it. The prospect of making a large sum of money on the upcoming poker tournament, seemed like a risk well worth it.

He had carefully checked out each of the players who owned a seat in the match and from what he could figure out, this woman and four others were the best of the best. Which one was the absolute best, he had to discover but he planned on finding out and then placing a considerably large bet on that player. Albert Brady intended to win.

While Kitty went to her room and Al Brady schemed, Matt stood outside of Dodge City's Train Depot and waited for the train to come to a stop. His unwanted guests were arriving and whether he wanted to or not, he had to greet them, host them and protect them as long as they were there.

When the train stopped, Matt watched the platform, finally seeing two eastern looking men, in expensive suits, stepping out and looking around. Pasting on a fake smile, Matt stepped forward and raised a hand. "Mr. Myers? Senator Pierce?"

"Marshal Dillon?" The shorter, fatter and better dressed of the two asked, after he took the cigar out of his mouth.

"I am." He nodded.

"Good to meet, Marshal." The taller and by far thinner of the two reached out and shook hands. "Senator Pierce and I are glad that you could take the time to show us around here."

"Uh, yeah." Matt looked a little curious. "I understand that you want to go round the area and need me to act as both tour guide and security. But what I don't understand is why? There's not much here, once you get outside of town."

"Oh, that's where you are wrong." Pierce answered. "I believe there is a great deal both in and out of town."

"Such as?" Matt asked with an arched brown.

"Well, for one thing, I wish to visit a place called the Long Branch." Pierce gave Matt a conspiratorial wink. "I've heard a great deal about the beautiful lady that runs it and I want more than anything to meet her."

Matt was bewildered. "You came all the way here to see a saloon and meet its owner?"

"Oh, of course not." Myers spoke up. "That is merely a side attraction for the Senator. What we are really here for is to explore the area outside of town. The government is thinking of putting a naval yard somewhere in this area and we need you to help us find the perfect place for it."

Matt, who had picked up both of the men's bags and was leading them to the wagon, he had waiting, instantly dropped the luggage and turned around to them with a stunned expression. "A naval yard? Here? In Kansas?"

"Yes." Myers and Pierce answered in unison.

"Is there some problem with that?" Pierce asked.

Matt stared at the two as though he was seeing two simpletons from an insane asylum. "Well, have you all looked around you? We're in the middle of the prairie, Gentlemen. There's not a body of water around here big enough to float a row boat much less any kind of ship."

Both men looked at each other and then looked at Matt with a nod of their heads. "We know." Myers answered. "That's why this is such a perfect place."

Matt wordlessly rubbed the back of his head. He couldn't believe his ears and he couldn't think of what to say. The idea was so ludicrous it was unbelievable. "It is?" He finally managed to ask.

"Of course!" Pierce answered as he clapped Matt on the shoulder. "You see, we're not going to be building ships for water here. We'll be building Wind Wagons or Prairie Schooners as some call them. Hence us calling the place to build them a naval yard."

"Wind wagons?" Matt repeated, feeling suspiciously like he was the being made the butt of some elaborate joke.

"Yes." Myers answered as though it was a perfectly sane idea. "Surely you've heard of them."

"Well, yeah." Matt shrugged. "But since when did the government decide to get into that kind of tom foolery? What good would it be to the government? You could never use them when the winds not blowing. And what would you use them for?"

"Well, those details still need to be worked out, Marshal." Pierce answered seriously. "And we will do that. But first we need to know if we can secure the perfect place to build them."

Matt shook his head at the two men, bent down and picked their bags back up. "Let me take you to the hotel, gentleman and then I'll show you around."

TBC

 **AN: According to the kansapedia website, a novel device of the Kansas territorial period was the wind wagon, sometimes called a sailing wagon or a prairie schooner. They were similar to an ordinary light wagon; weighed about 350 pounds; had a bed about three feet wide, eight feet long, and six inches deep; and were propelled by a sail or sails raised over the center of the front axle. When the breezes blew in the right direction the wagons were reported to skim over the prairies at about 15 miles per hour, with some speeds at up to 40 miles per hour. At least one wagon was reported to have traveled from Kansas City to Denver in a little more than 20 days. Believe it or not.**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: SusyQ, you crack me up. I am glad you like this.**

"You've got to be kidding me." Doc laughed out loud again as he and Matt sat in the jail drinking coffee.

Matt had told him what the two men had related to him and though he agreed with Doc that it was funny and ludicrous, it was also concerning. He was being tied up here in Dodge with this stupidity while Kitty was in San Francisco and only God knew what was happening with her.

"No, Doc, I'm not kidding." Matt shook his head, taking another sip of his coffee. "They think it would be cheaper for the army to move supplies that way because they wouldn't need horses. The fact that the supplies would weigh the wagon down so much that the wind wouldn't be much effect doesn't seem to faze them. Senator Pierce even thinks they might progress to gold."

"Gold? Well, good heavens. Why stop there? Why not 'progress' to moving entire buildings and relocating all the Indians." Doc laughed all the louder at that until he saw the glum look on Matt's face and it sobered him. Doc put his coffee mug down on the small table in the center of the room and looked over at his friend. "She's alright, Matt."

Matt got up and poured himself another cup of coffee. "How do you know, Doc? You heard from her?"

"No." Doc acknowledged. "Not since the wire she sent when she got there. But Matt, Kitty is a smart, capable woman. She knows how to take care of herself. And it's not like she's out in the wilderness or something. She's in a big city with…"

"Every cut throat, thief and murderer there is. And they are just the men she'll be playing against." Matt finished glumly.

Doc wanted to deny it. He wanted to tell Matt with certainty that she was perfectly fine. He couldn't. He settled for supper. "Come on, Matt. Let's go to Delmonico's. I'll buy you supper."

But Matt shook his head. "No, thank you, Doc. I'm not all that hungry."

Shaking his head with a sigh, Doc got to his feet and headed out of the jail knowing there wasn't anything more he could do or say concerning Kitty that would set the lawman's mind at ease. That would have to wait until Matt got to San Francisco and could see her for himself.

Early the next morning, Matt met the Senator and Myers at the hotel with a rented buggy from Moss' and his horse. He figured Myers wouldn't mind driving the carriage as there wasn't room for three in it. He continued to think their mission there was a fool's errand, but he had to escort them as part of his job, like it or not.

"Good morning, Marshal." Myers greeted him in the hotel lobby. "The Senator will be with us in a moment."

"That's fine, Mr. Myers." Matt answered gruffly.

"Marshal." Myers took a step closer to Matt after taking a quick look around him. "You don't really think much of this idea of wind wagons, do you?"

"It's an idea." Matt answered cautiously, not sure he could trust this nebbish little man.

"Yes and it's a bad one." Myers looked up owlishly at Matt. "I believe it's a total waste of money and time."

"You tell the Senator your thoughts on this?" Matt frowned down at him.

"Of course not." Myers straightened himself. "The Senator is convinced this will work and it is my place to aide him, not to counsel him."

Matt was saved having to reply when the Senator was heard coming down the stairs. "Ah, Dillon. Morning. I hope you're prepared for a full day of exploring."

"Senator." Matt nodded at him. "I have a buggy waiting out front."

"Good." He smiled broadly. "Then let's go."

When the three men exited the hotel, Matt pointed to the buggy. "Mr. Myers, I hope you don't mind driving the buggy. Moss doesn't have one that seats three."

"Of course not, Marshal." Myers answered as he and the Senator boarded the carriage and Matt mounted his horse.

As the trio left town, Wade stood in the shadows of the Long Branch and watched them leave. He'd have liked to have gone with them, but he knew there was no way he could sit a horse. Besides, there was quite a great deal he could find out right here in Dodge.

With a half smile on his face, he turned and headed for the doors of the saloon. "Good morning, Sam!" He hailed the bar man as he entered. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Good morning." Sam offered a nod but no return smile. He wasn't sure of this young man just yet. "I'm afraid it's a little early yet for anything more than coffee."

"Oh, that will be fine, Sam." Wade answered. "I've already had breakfast and it's a little early yet for any sort of libation. Besides, what I want isn't liquid."

Sam looked at him curiously. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"I mean, I want information, Sam." Wade leaned close to him. "I want to know about my sister. About her life here."

"Well," Sam answered cautiously. "Miss Kitty owns this place."

"I know that, Sam." Wade shook his head at him. "But how'd she get it? Did she win it in a game? Or maybe it was a gift or…"

"Miss Kitty worked hard and bought this place with her own money." Sam answered firmly, his voice no longer holding a friendly note. "She continues to work hard and she doesn't owe anybody anything for what she has."

"Oh." Wade pursed his lips, understanding he'd riled his sister's loyal employee. "Well, what about that Marshal? Does he have any part of this place? How close are he and my sister?"

"They're friends." Sam answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do in the back." Quickly turning, Sam left the barroom and the brother behind. He didn't like people prying into Miss Kitty's business and he certainly wasn't going to help him out.

After he left, Wade smiled slightly as he finished his coffee and left. Sam wasn't too talkative but he figured there were probably others in town that might be. He had only to ask around and find them.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

"Senator." Matt reined in his horse and waited while Myers brought the buggy to a stop beside him. "We'd better not go any further in this direction. I suggest we go south from here." They'd been going steadily west since they'd left and so far, Pierce hadn't liked any of the places Matt pointed out to him.

"Why?" Pierce demanded. "Seems like good land around here. A little further west might just be the perfect place to put our buildings."

"Yeah." Matt shook his head in irritation. "And a little further west just might be the perfect place to get ourselves killed."

"What do you mean?" Myers asked, looking around them, apprehension touching his face.

"I mean Indians." Matt pointed to a small crest of land just to their west and north. "Just over that ridge is Kiowa hunting grounds. Now they don't normally attack people without cause but if we invade their lands, we'll be giving them that cause and they could kill us easy. So like I said, I suggest we turn south and look around down there."

"Senator." Myers voice fairly trembled. "I… I think we ought to follow the Marshal's suggestion. I mean we don't want to run afowl of the natives."

"Nonsense." Pierce shook his head. "I am not going to run from anything or anyone. Take a look around you. There's no one out here but us."

"No one you can see." Matt interjected. "But I promise you Senator Pierce there are Indians out here."

"Then why haven't they shown themselves? Why haven't we seen some sign of them?" Pierce demanded imperially.

"They don't want us to." Matt relied as patiently as he could. "They won't show themselves unless we move onto their property and by the time they do, it'll be too late to do much about it."

"Their property?" Pierce's brow shot above his hairline. "Marshal, I will have you to know, that is government property. All of this is or will be if I want it to be. And if I want to place a government facility here or over that ridge, I will do so. Myers." He looked over sternly at his aide. "Drive on."

"But Senator…"

"I said drive, Myers." Pierce fairly roared.

With an apologetic glance at Matt, Myers snapped the reins and started the horses at a trot, going west.

For a couple of minutes, Matt simply sat and watched them go. It'd serve them right if he let the Kiowa find and kill them. But with an irritated shake of his head, he spurred his mount and took off after them. Whether they deserved it or not, he couldn't let them get killed, no matter how well deserved.

As Matt took off after them, he kept his eyes trained on the surroundings, praying what he'd told Pierce, about Indians being near, was untrue. However, just as he reached the crest of the small ridge, gunfire alerted him that he hadn't been wrong.

Reaching for his rifle, he'd just pulled it out of the scabbard when he saw Myers and Pierce make a wide loop and race madly back in his direction. Pulling tightly on the reins of his horse, Matt came to a halt and merely watched as the Senator and his aide made a hasty retreat from the area they shouldn't have been in, in the first place.

Trying to hide his smile, Matt put his rifle back in place and waited until the Senator and Myers reached him before turning and leading them back to safety. "Told ya, there was Kiowa over there." He said smugly.

Back in Dodge, Wade limped glumly back to the Long Branch. He'd talked to a lot of people about the tall lawman and the beautiful saloon owner. Most people would say little more than, "They're friends." That much he knew. What he didn't know was how close.

He'd tried talking to Doc and had even asked for permission to talk to Chester but Doc refused him all the way around, telling him that Chester was too ill to be bothered and that if wanted to know about the Marshal's business or Kitty's business, he needed to talk to them. Wade left dejected but still determined to find out what he wanted to know. There'd be someone who'd talk.

Like the one old man who told of the time, a few years back when two bank robbing brothers rode into town and kidnapped Kitty Russell, holding her as hostage so that the Marshal wouldn't come after them. But it hadn't stopped the Marshal and he'd gone after them anyway, coming back a couple of days later with the woman and the money.

The bank robbers weren't with him and they were never heard from again. No one knew for certain, aside from the Marshal, the lady and Chester, exactly what did happen out there. But it was generally accepted that the Marshal had shown those two bandits what happened to anyone who took someone he cared for.

And there was the story the telegraph operator told of when Kitty had been shot in the back while working one day and the Marshal had taken off alone after the man who'd done it. Once again, he didn't return with the man he'd gone after. But a wire was sent to Denver requesting that a reward for that man and his partners be sent to Kitty Russell. Barney, the telegraph man, didn't know for a fact, but he figured the man had to be dead in order for her to collect the reward.

There were several others in town, who mentioned times they'd see the Marshal and the lady walking about town together arm in arm, eating at Delmonico's or sharing a drink at the Long Branch. And he'd heard of the times the Marshal would step in and take a hand when someone showed disrespect or aggression towards the pretty red head.

Nothing he'd heard proved that Marshal Dillon and the Kitty Russell were anything more than close friends, but it didn't disprove it either. One thing was for certain though. Matt Dillon, whether friend or more, did not and would not tolerate anyone who harmed or came against Kitty Russell.

As Wade finally made his way up to his room at the Long Branch, he smiled when he was finally able to lie down and rest. One of his goals, when he'd come to town, was to learn about the woman who was his sister. Though he'd been able to spend as much time with her as he wanted, he'd still learned quite a bit.

Lying carefully on his stomach, Wade closed his eyes with a sigh.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: I know very little about poker and poker tournaments. I did do a little research on the matter but it's darn hard to find the rules for poker tournaments in the 1870's. So I just made the whole thing up out of whole cloth. However, except for a couple of notable exceptions, the names of the gamblers are the names of real people/gamblers that were active back then. Also James McCabe and Thomas Chambers really were co-owners of the El Dorado Gambling Saloon at Portsmouth Square in San Francisco.**

Kitty stood at the mirror in her hotel room, fluffing up her collar, adjusting her hat and making sure her appearance was as flawless as she could make it. Today was the first day of the tournament and she wanted to make an impression on her fellow players.

She was aware that the others, all men, were all pretty much sure of her inability to match them in poker playing. The thought made her smile. While she was there, she'd practiced incessantly in her room and was fairly positive that there were few that could equal her skills. But the other players, believing her inferior, would only be an edge to the self assured red head.

There were sixteen people who bought a seat in it, four tables of four. The rules of the tournament were that each table played ten hands with a break after the fifth hand. The clear winner of each table would be the players in the final round. Kitty intended to be sitting at that last table and she would use any advantage she could without cheating.

Deciding she was not only presentable but distracting as hell, she smiled at her reflection, grabbed her reticule and left her room. She was as ready as she could possibly be. Walking down the stairs to the hotel lobby, Kitty made sure to smile at everyone she met. She wanted others to see nothing but confidence in her demeanor.

She didn't know who all of the other players were but she was about to find out and they were about to find out just how good she was.

Leaving the hotel, Kitty hailed a cab requested she be taken to Portsmouth Square and the El Dorado Gambling Saloon. The hack driver looked at her rather strangely, but politely he nodded his head and took off.

When Kitty arrived at the gambling hall, she presented herself at the table set up front for registrants. The sour faced man with the handlebar mustache and slumped shoulders said nothing as he accepted her credentials and gave her a number representing the table she would be sitting at. Nodding politely, Kitty took the number and crossed to the door leading to the large room where the tournament was about to be held.

Most of the players had already arrived. Looking around, Kitty counted 11 including herself, which meant there were 5 more to come.

Some of the men, already there, she didn't know but there were several she did. Canada Bill Jones, and Kid Jigger were already at her table. Amarillo Slim Reynolds, Tom Diamond and Tump Winston were at the table behind her and Ace High Helmick was sitting at the one across from her. The other four men she didn't know, nor they her, but it didn't stop them from staring at her.

When Kitty entered, conversation in the room quieted down to a hush and all eyes turned to her. Kitty nodded at each man who met her gaze but did not speak to them. Conversation was not the reason she was there. Besides, she had no intentions of being friendly with these men, not in a game of this magnitude.

"Miss Russell!" Ace Helmick smiled broadly and stood, moving to Kitty's table and holding her chair when she approached. "It is so good to see you again."

"Mr. Helmick." Kitty nodded and seated herself in the chair he held.

"Thank you." She added politely.

"So you're the beautiful woman, I've heard so much about." A deep voice spoke behind her.

Kitty turned to see a tall, lanky man with dark curly hair and deep brown eyes regarding her appreciatively. "I'm Kitty Russell." She answered. "And you are?"

"Thomas Chambers , half owner." The dark handsome stranger smiled as he took her hand and kissed it.

"I was given to understand that James McCabe owned this place." Kitty stated as she pulled her hand from his.

"He owns the other half. He handles the book work, and I handle the guests." He answered with a wink.

"Oh, I see." Kitty smirked. "Well, Mr. Chambers, I can promise, you won't handle me."

Chambers' face turned red as Ace began to laugh loudly. Quickly as he could, the half owner of the gambling saloon turned and made his way to the other side of the great room.

"You seemed to have put him in his place." Kid Jigger grinned at her. "I hope you play poker as well as you play men."

"I don't play men, Kid." Kitty answered with a smirk. "There's seldom any real men around."

It was Kid's turn to redden and though Ace wanted to laugh again, he decided to curtail his mirth when she glanced over at him, waiting for him to make the same mistake as the saloon owner and their fellow player. Wisely he nodded at her with a wink then returned to his own table.

Kitty offered no other comments to either of the men around her or the others who were as of yet milling around before the game began.

She was walking a tight rope and she knew it. She needed to keep these men slightly off balance and though not vain, she knew her looks attracted the men enough to keep them from totally concentrating on the game. But she couldn't allow them to distract her. Hopefully, her tongue would keep them at bay enough to prevent that.

As she looked about her, a young woman approached with a glass and a bottle of whiskey. "Pour you a drink?" She asked.

Kitty shook her head. "No, thank you. I would appreciate some water though, if you don't mind."

"Water?" The girl looked puzzled. "The other players…"

"I'm not the other players." Kitty smiled sweetly.

"Yes, ma'am." As the girl walked off, the doors to the room opened and the remaining players came in. Kitty recognized Luke Short and Napoleon Bonaparte 'Poley' White as they entered first. The two men after them she didn't know but the last one she did and her heart raced when he looked in her direction and their gazes locked.

Quickly, he made his way to her side and reached out, taking her hand.

"Kitty, my dear." He said in something akin to awe. "I… I'm not sure what to say. It… it is so good to see you."

Kitty pulled her hand her hand from his and nodded with no sign of joy at seeing him. "Hello, father."

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Matt led two very upset politicians back to town; certain he'd sufficiently discouraged them from putting any sort of wind wagon factory in Ford County, Kansas.

After they'd escaped the Kiowa hunting party, Matt lit upon an idea that he thought just might be perfect. Leading them south, he took them onto a farm belonging to Jed Hazzard. That old man hated people on his land and as soon as he saw the trio on his property, he pulled his rifle and began to fire. Matt knew Jed was too poor a shot to hit anyone, but he did a good enough job of thoroughly scaring the politicians.

Leading them straight back north and then east, Matt took them to three other places where they pretty much got the same reception. When they finally rode back into Dodge, late that evening, both of the eastern men were tired and more than ready to leave the wild west and go back to 'Civilization' as Pierce put it. Matt didn't try to talk them out of it.

"Senator." Matt did his best to fill his voice with contrition as he walked them to the hotel. "I sure am sorry we didn't find a place for your factory. I guess we could look a little further west or…"

"No, no, Marshal." Malcolm Pierce quickly raised a hand to ward Matt off. "I do believe we've seen enough of Ford County. I think we shall return to Topeka tomorrow and reconsider our plan to place our facility here."

"Well, you know best." Matt hid a smirk. "Would you like me to book a seat on the east bound train for you two tomorrow?"

"That would be most kind, Marshal." Sanford Myers put in as he looked over at his employer. "Sir? Shall we retire to our rooms?"

Pierce shook his head. "Not yet. I may not have accomplished my main objective in coming here but I had another reason for coming and I still want to accomplish that." He looked over at his assistant with a wink and a smile. "I still want to meet the woman that owns that saloon."

"Uh, Senator." Matt sighed. "I hate to tell you this but..."

"But what?" Pierce's smile faltered.

"Miss Russell, the woman that owns the saloon, is out of town." Matt tried to show regret for the senator's misfortune but it was hard.

"She..." The unflapable politician who never allowed the public to see the real Malcomb Pierce suddenly let down his guard and allowed his true persona to show. "She's not here!? You mean, she's gone? That's not fair! I... I wanted to meet her. Don't you understand? I... I... I demand a recount!"

Matt looked at him a little strangely, as did Myers. "A recount, Senator? Uh, Miss Russell didn't beat you out of a political prize of any kind. She left town. She's in San Francisco."

For a few minutes, both the marshal and the aide thought the senator was going to just break down and cry. But finally, he was able to pull his politicians persona back out and carefully it apply it over the little child that he'd become and nodded stiffly at Matt. "Yes, yes, of course. I... I know that. I... I... I think I need to go to my room for some rest. Myers?" He looked over at his assistant who instantly nodded.

"Of course, Senator." Myers looked back at Matt. "Marshal. Thank you for your help and all. If you can arrange the train tickets, we'll pick them up tomorrow."

"Sure will." Matt nodded as the two men took their leave and entered the Dodge House.

Smiling, Matt turned and headed up to Doc's office. If it hadn't been so late, he would've headed straight to the train station right then to arrange the tickets. But the ticket office would now be closed and besides, he needed something from Doc.

"Matt?" Doc greeted him as he opened the door and let him in. "You through playing tour guide for the day?"

"Yeah, sure am." Matt nodded happily. "For the day and hopefully forever. Senator Pierce and Sanford Myers have decided to go back to Topeka tomorrow."

"Oh?" Doc questioned with a grin and a tug of his ear. "Don't tell me, they've decided the perfect place to build those wagons is behind the jail."

"Nope." Matt smirked. "As a matter of fact, they couldn't find any place at all to put it."

Doc's grin faded into a confused look. "They couldn't? Well, I don't understand that. I mean there's all sorts of places out there on the prairie that's flat enough and big enough for that sort of operation. Not that it's a good idea, mind you."

"It wasn't a good idea." Matt agreed then told Doc of the day's events over a cup of coffee.

"Oh, oh, that's great." Doc laughed when Matt finished. "You think the Senator's gonna give up that fool idea now?"

"Oh, I doubt it. At least not yet. But at any rate he won't be putting anything here. Of course, his aide, Myers, isn't too upset about it. He told me he thought it a foolish notion too. I didn't say anything to him but I do agree."

"So," Doc studied Matt. "You going out to San Francisco now?"

"Yeah." Matt nodded. "I've got to go over in the morning and arrange for the Pierce and Myers to go back to Topeka and figured while I was there, I'd buy my own ticket west."

"You need money for that ticket." It wasn't a question. Doc knew Matt had little to his name and what money he did have, he usually gave away or spent on someone else. Even if Matt had money for the ticket, he wouldn't have enough for a hotel or food or much else once he got there.

"I have enough." Matt answered, not really sure of that.

"Well, maybe." Doc stood and went to his desk. Opening the bottom drawer, he pulled out a small box hidden in the back, under a stack of paper. Opening the box, Doc reached in and pulled out a small bag. Reaching in the bag he pulled out several bills and solemnly placed them in Matt's hand.

"Doc…"

"Not a word, Matt." Doc shook his head. "She's mine too, ya know. She might need you out there and I couldn't stand the thought of…" He stopped with a scrub of his mustache. "Just go make sure she's alright. Will you do that for me? Just make sure."

Quietly, Matt put the money in his pocket, stood and put his hat on. "I'll see to her, Doc. I promise you that." As he turned towards the door, Matt suddenly stopped.

"Thanks, Doc for everything." His tone showed Doc just how grateful he was. "I promise you, I'll return this to you as soon as I can."

"Just take care, Matt." Doc answered.

Matt nodded, turned and left. He didn't know what he was going to be walking into when he got to San Francisco. He didn't even know if there was anything to walk into. It could be that when he arrived, he'd find absolutely nothing to worry about. But deep inside, he felt differently.

He couldn't explain it and he didn't care to try. But ever since he and Kitty had become close, he'd developed a sort of sixth sense when it came to her and often he could tell when something was wrong, even when he had no sign of it. That 'sixth sense' was telling him now that he needed to go and find her.

As he walked down the street to the jail, he didn't see Wade watching him from the window of his room. He'd seen Matt and the politicians return to town and he'd watched as the lawman went up to Doc's office. He'd found out a lot about the stoic and upright Marshal but not as much as he wanted.

As he watched Matt walk down the street, he was determined, now that Dillon was back in town, that he would follow the man until he found out what it was he wanted to know no matter how far he had to follow him.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Guest, thank you for such a wonderful review. And the same to all of you I've not been able to PM personally. I appreciate you.**

Ever the consummate professional, Kitty never let any of her inner turmoil to show on her face. Her smile was polite but business like as she stared back at the man who had done so much to her and had tried to do more. But inside, her stomach was in knots.

She had never expected to see her father again after he'd left Dodge six years prior. Though what was left of the little girl inside of her still wanted her father to be a part of her life, the grown woman, that had gone through so much alone, didn't.

"Players! Will you all take your seats at your assigned tables?" Thomas Chambers called just then from a podium near the front of the room. "Playing will begin in 15 minutes."

Wayne Russell offered a slight drop of the head, aware she'd not allow him to touch her again. "Kitty. Perhaps we can talk later."

"Perhaps." She answered grudgingly.

Wayne dropped his eyes, aware of how his daughter must feel about him. Saying nothing more, he turned and made his way to his assigned table.

He, of course, knew of his daughter's reputation as a poker player but that didn't worry him. He knew his own prowess in the game and was certain he could best her; that is if she lasted through the first round.

What worried him was her reaction to him. She neither showed pleasure or disgust when she saw him. He couldn't tell what her thoughts were and he seriously wanted to know what they might be. He knew he hadn't been the father he should've been, to either of his children, though he had given it more of a try with Wade. But he hadn't had it in him, not then at least and he wasn't sure he had it now. He just hoped he had the chance to at least try.

Kitty stared straight ahead as her father walked away and gave no indication of how she felt about the man who'd sired her. Of course, she wasn't sure she knew how she felt. She didn't hate him, because she didn't know him well enough for that. She wasn't happy to see him, because of his past actions in regards to her. But she wasn't unhappy either.

This man was a part of her and he held answers to so many questions she'd had about herself and her family. But she wasn't sure if she wanted to get close enough to him to ask those questions.

Realizing that concentrating on her father would take away any advantage she might have in the game, Kitty put him firmly out of her mind and instead turned her attention to the new deck of cards sitting in the middle of the table as well as the other players sitting around her.

For the duration of the tournament, they would be her focus and she would allow nothing else to plague her, including and especially Wayne Russell.

For the next several hours, playing was contentious one minute and easy the next. Kitty easily won the first three hands but lost the next one to Kid Jiggers. The fifth hand was won by Canada Bill Jones but it was the last one he won. Luke Short, the other man at their table, folded after the sixth hand and sat back to watch the others. He expected to be challenged by his fellow players but he hadn't expected the most challenging one to be a woman, a pretty woman like Kitty Russell.

They had just picked up the cards to deal the next hand when a break was called and all players were asked to leave the room while fresh decks were put out and windows were opened to air it out from all the cigarette and cigar smoke.

Kitty was glad for the respite and quickly picked up her reticule; waited for one of the officials to come around, tally her chips, as well as the others, then left. She wanted nothing to do at that moment with the other players, especially one in particular.

"Miss Russell?" Ace Helmick had to run but he caught up to her just as she pushed open the door into the lobby. "Wait up."

Kitty sighed but stopped. She didn't immensely dislike Will Helmick but she wasn't interested in his charm either. "Mr. Helmick, I'm sorry, but our break is very short and I have something I need to attend to." She said the second he reached her side. "So, if you don't mind, I'll see you back at the table."

Swiftly, before he could say anything in protest, Kitty turned and went to the front desk where the sour faced man told her where to find a water closet.

Ace stood quietly and watched her with a smile on his face. He admired the beautiful red head for more than her looks. Though he wasn't serious about her, he doubted he'd ever be serious about any woman, he did appreciate her beauty as well as her courage. And when the tournament was over, he intended to get to know her a little better.

Ace wasn't the only one to watch Kitty as she walked away. Tump Winston watched her through narrowed eyes as she left. His partner and backer, Albert Brady had told him that he'd most likely be going up against the woman in the final round and that he needed to be ruthless in dealing with her. Her being a woman could not matter. Tump had every intention of doing whatever it took to win this tournament, no matter what he had to do to the other players.

Kitty had just emerged from the water closet when the players were called back into play and she went straight back to her chair, ignoring the stares of her father as well as others. She had a tournament to win.

But on the second half of the first round, Kitty wasn't as sure of her winning as she had been. Kid Jigger won the sixth and seventh hand, though barely. Kitty won the eighth and Kid won the ninth. They were down to the last hand at their table. Kitty and Kid were the only two remaining as Canada Bill had dropped out after the eighth hand.

"Well," Kid grinned over at Kitty as the last hand of cards were dealt. "Looks like it's just the two of us. I'd like you to know, it's been a pleasure to play with you, Kitty. Sorry, we won't both be able to win but I do admire your trying."

Kitty merely offered him a nod. "Thank you." After 9 hands with the man, she felt she now knew his weaknesses in the game and his expressions. She was fairly positive she could win. She just needed the right opportunity. Picking up the hand she'd been dealt, Kitty expressionlessly looked down at it. She had just been dealt the right opportunity.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning, Matt was at the train depot ticket counter the minute they opened. Arranging tickets for Pierce and Myers back to Topeka, he also paid for his own west to San Francisco which would leave the next day. Though Matt was anxious to leave, he knew he'd need to make arrangements for his job as well as take care of a few things before he took off.

One of those things was Wade Russell. Matt had a feeling that the young nuisance might try to follow him or at the very least hinder him and Matt had no intentions of allowing that to happen. So once again, Matt made his way to Doc's office.

"Matt." Doc greeted him when he opened the door to find him on his stoop. "Come on in. You get your ticket to San Francisco?"

"Sure did." Matt answered as he patted his shirt pocket. "Train leaves at ten in the morning tomorrow. Sam gave me the name of the hotel Kitty's staying in so once I get there, I'll go there and find her."

"Good." Doc smiled. "I betcha she'll be happy to see you. At least as long as you're polite and don't try to force her to leave."

"What are you talking about?" Matt frowned. "That's exactly why I am going. She has no business being there."

"Uh, hum." Doc shook his head. "And you plan on telling her that?"

"Yes, I do. Why?" Matt didn't understand what Doc was getting at.

"You know; seems to me I've heard Kitty tell you a time or two that you don't know very much about women and I think I understand why." Doc's smile was gone, replaced by an expression of exasperation. "Matt you can't go in there and just demand she do anything. She's a grown woman and a pretty capable one at that. And another thing…"

"I don't care if she's grown or not, Doc." Matt interrupted. "She's not safe out there and I…"

"And another thing." Doc restated. "Kitty's stubborn. You go in there like some cavalry on a charge and she'll balk like a blue nosed mule. You won't even know if she does need rescuing until you get there and if she doesn't, she's going to be mighty put out with you. Besides," Doc locked eyes with the flustered lawman. "Did you ever stop to think that she might want you with her for some other reason besides rescuing her?"

Matt swallowed hard. Doc's point was taken. "I get it, Doc." He sighed.

"Good." Doc shuffled over to his stove and poured himself a cup of coffee as a thought occurred to him. "Say, you going to take that young whelp Wade with you? He is the reason she's out there after all."

"Yeah, he is and no, I'm not." Matt said firmly. "As a matter of fact, that's one of the things I came up here for. I may need some help in keeping him here."

Doc looked at him in some amusement as well consternation. "Well, what do you want me to do about it? Chloroform him?"

"Could ya?" Matt asked half seriously.

"No." Doc answered. "Besides, what harm could it do to take him with you?"

"No harm to me. But it could be to him. The boy's an accident waiting for a place to happen. The last thing I need is to have to worry about him at the same time I'm worrying about Kitty." Matt emphasized his irritation with a stab of thumb towards the saloon, where Wade was supposed to be resting.

"Well," Doc rubbed the back of his neck. "I can see your point there. But I'm not sure there's much I can do."

"Couldn't ya ask him up here to help you or something?"

"Help me?" Doc stared at Matt as one would a fool, brow furrowed. "And just what do you think he could help me with? He's not a doctor nor even a doctor's assistant. All he knows how to do is play cards and follow you around. And he's not even very good at that."

"I know." Matt nodded. "But I've got to do something. I don't know what I'll be walking into out there. It could be nothing or it could be risky. I can't watch over him and keep him out of trouble while I'm dealing with whatever I might find."

As the two men talked, just outside of Doc's door, Wade stood listening. He'd seen Matt heading to the physician's office and wanted to talk to the both of them. But as he listened, he decided talk could wait. Like the venerable lawman, he had no idea if Kitty was in trouble or not, but if she was, then he felt solidly responsible for it. And despite the doctor and the Marshal's feelings about him, he was not about to sit idly by and allow his sister to be hurt if he could help it.

Deciding on a course of action, Wade hurriedly and silently retreated down the stairs and back to his room at the saloon. He had something to do.

The next morning, Matt presented himself at the train station and quickly boarded. He hadn't seen Wade since the day before and he was certain he could get out of town before the boy even knew he was leaving. Other than Wade's part in Kitty's decision to go to San Francisco, Matt didn't really hold anything against him. But he didn't want him with him either.

However, just as Matt settled back in his seat and the train started up, a commotion could be heard at the end of the car he was on. Curiously, Matt peered around the seat and paled.

"Whew!" Wade shook his head as he moved to the seat opposite of Matt's lanky frame. "I come close to missing this." He smiled down at Matt, aware that his presence probably wasn't wanted.

"Oh, don't worry, Marshal." He said as he sat down carefully on the bench seat. "I won't cause you any problems. But I won't let you go without me either. I still have some questions I want answers for in regards to my sister."

Matt closed his eyes and turned his gaze to the window next to him. This was going to be a very long train ride.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Kitty sat quietly in her seat at the center table. She'd been the winner of the first round at her table which advanced her to the final round. That round would be the most intense and longest of all. Aside from periodic breaks to use the water closet and stretch their legs, the players would not leave the table until one person had won all of the money on the table. No one would leave, unless they lost all of their money or voluntarily quit.

She knew that Will 'Ace High" Helmick had made it as well as an unknown man named Tump Winston. She wasn't sure but she thought the winner of the remaining table was her father. That thought caused her conflicting emotions. She wasn't sure that she wanted to play against him and yet she did.

She was sure of her own skills and was fairly certain she could equal his. But when you played cards with someone, especially on a level such as this, you had to study your opponent, look for their weaknesses and little tell, tell signs that pointed out where they were most vulnerable. She knew that, and she was certain her father knew that. She was also certain she didn't welcome such scrutiny from him.

But there was no way out of it. She was here now, she'd rightfully won her place at this table and she was going to do everything in her power to win. She'd just have to make sure that she kept as much hidden from not only Wayne Russell but the other men as well.

In the back of the room, Tump Winston leaned against a wall in the back of the room watching the other three players as they either paced or, as in the case of the lovely red head, sat and mentally prepared themselves for the upcoming game. He didn't know these people but from what Albert Brady had told him, he knew they were good and would be tough to beat.

"Ace Helmick is slick." Albert Brady had said. "He uses charm and humor to distract you. Ignore him and concentrate on the cards. Wayne Russell is another one that will try and distract you but not with charm. He notices everything you do and will constantly point it out to you. Pay no attention to his words, watch his hands instead. I don't think he'll try cheating but don't give him any chances either."

"And the woman?" Tump thought about the stunning red head who'd pretty much kept to herself so far.

"She's the wild card." Albert had told him. "She's sharp, observant and good. From everything I've been able to find out; she never cheats because she doesn't have to. That doesn't mean she wouldn't but it's not likely. She keeps to herself and talks very little which means you won't be able to get too many verbal clues from her as to what she's thinking."

"And if I can't beat her?" Tump had asked with a raised brow.

"You will." Brady had replied. "Either at the table or away from it. Understand?"

Tump had understood and though beating up on a woman was usually distasteful to him, he was quite willing to do so in this instance if it looked like the woman might trump him. He wasn't about to allow that to happen.

"Well, Kitty." Ace beamed down at her as he stepped up to the table and took his place. "I was hoping you'd be in this final round. I am really looking forward to playing with you."

"Oh?" Kitty asked with an arched brow. "Why?"

"Well, because." Ace answered as he took a seat next to her. "From what I gathered from Kid and Canada Bill you are quite a player. I like to play against someone who knows the game. Besides, you're also a beautiful woman, Kitty. That certainly doesn't hurt anything."

Kitty sighed and looked up, gathering her composure before speaking. "I appreciate the compliment, Mr. Helmick. But my looks have nothing to do with this card game. I am here to play poker. Nothing more."

"Now, now, Kitty." Ace chided her.

"Miss Russell." Kitty corrected him. She had no desire to be on a first name basis with the gambler.

"I stand corrected." Ace offered a courteous nod. "Miss Russell, you cannot tell me that you don't know how much your looks distract the other players. The male players. We are, after all, mere mortals and as I said you are very beautiful. It's only natural that we should…"

"Well, then please, Mr. Helmick." Kitty offered him a frosty stare. "Go against your nature and ignore my looks."

"Yes, Ma'am." He chuckled which irritated her even more.

Kitty did know her looks were distracting and she'd purposely dressed the day before and today in order to capitalize on that, but she didn't want any attention from Ace or any of the other men away from the table. Ruefully, she chastised herself for the spot she'd put herself in. 'I'll never learn.' She thought.

"Ah, it looks like my lucky day." Wayne stepped up just then and took a seat opposite Kitty so that he could better study her. "I not only find myself at the winners table but also in the company of one of the loveliest ladies this side of the Mississippi."

Kitty didn't reply as she stared at the man across from her. She wasn't exactly sure how to reply. She wanted to hate him, for abandoning her and trying to cheat her but she couldn't. She couldn't exactly love him either. And she certainly wasn't going to get into any sort of personal conversation with him here, in front of Helmick and the other men. So she remained silent, offering not a smile nor a frown at the man across from her.

Ace noticed the tension between the two and wondered about it. He suspected the two were related, as they both had the same last name and the young woman resembled the older man in some ways.

"Players." The announcer called from his podium. "Please take your seats. The last round of this game is about to begin."

As Tump Winston moved forward and took the other seat next to Kitty, she took one hard look at her father. She said nothing but he understood. She was not his daughter in this tournament, she was his opponent and she was there to win against him in poker as she had not been able to do personally.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

"You know, Marshal. This really is the perfect time for us to talk and get to know one another." Wade stared at the big man across from him as the train raced west. "I mean, we're going to be on here for at least a couple of days and since we have something in common…"

"Something in common?" Matt turned his attention away from the window and frowned at the young man who simply would not leave him alone.

"Well," Wade shrugged. "I guess, I could say someone in common, meaning my sister of course." He offered Matt a genial grin which wasn't returned. "I mean, we both care about her and we both want the best for her. Or at least I do. And I sure don't want to see her hurt in any way."

"And your point is?" Matt asked.

Wade could see talking to the big man wasn't going to be easy, but he was stubborn and persistent. "My point is; we need to talk, Marshal. I want to know your intentions towards my sister." He stated. "I've asked that before and you keep finding ways to avoid answering. But this time, you can't avoid it. You can't just simply run away from me like you could in Dodge."

"I didn't run." Matt answered. "You kept getting yourself hurt."

"Well, not on purpose." Wade protested. "And that's beside the point. We aren't talking about me. We're talking about my sister."

Matt shook his head and returned his gaze to the window beside him. If it hadn't been for the fact that the train was the quickest way to San Francisco, he'd jump off at the first stop, buy a horse and ride the rest of the way.

"Well?" Wade prompted when Matt didn't answer.

Taking a deep breath, he once again turned to stare at the young man. "Look. What my intentions are, right now, is to get to San Francisco and make sure that Kitty Russell is safe and unharmed. Anything more is none of your business."

"It is too!" Wade asserted. "Kitty is my sister. Besides, what are you afraid of? Are you scared that someone might find out that you're trifling with the affections of a mere saloon woman? Are you ashamed of her? Is that it? Is your reputation worth more to you than her?"

Matt honestly tried but that was the last straw. Lightening fast, he reached over and grabbed the young man by the lapels. "I will only tell you this once more. Stay out of my business and Kitty's. Our relationship to one another is none of your business. And don't you ever call her a 'mere saloon woman' again. She's a great deal more than that. Got me?"

"I got you." Wade nodded swallowing hard. "I got you."

Satisfied that he'd gotten his point across, Matt sat back with a grunt. The boy had gotten on his nerves with his constant questions and Matt was in no mood for more. He was most definitely not ashamed of Kitty or his love for her. And he never felt like he was trifling with her affections. But it was none of this kid's buisness. And he sure wasn't going to allow him to call her names.

But how did he explain to this brash kid that he loved Kitty too much to share that love with anyone else or to put her in danger because of it. It'd been pointed out to him many times that other lawmen had wives and families and they didn't feel their family was in anymore danger than anyone else.

But he knew, other lawmen, hadn't made the enemies he had. Other lawmen didn't have people just salivating at the thought of hurting him through the woman he loved.

Other lawmen didn't have Kitty Russell.

Across from Matt, Wade sat silently for a spell. He understood that the big man seated opposite didn't want to talk about his connection with Kitty. But Wade didn't care about what the Marshal wanted. He wanted to know whether the man would ever marry his sister or not. He hadn't spent too much time with her before he got sick and she left, but even those few brief days were enough to make him understand what kind of person she was and he wanted the best for her.

He knew Matt Dillon was a good man, a brave man, an honest man. But he just wasn't convinced that Matt was the best man for his sister.

"I think I'm going to go out onto the platform for a while, Marshal." He finally said. "I can't sit here any longer."

Matt glanced at him but didn't reply. He was glad to be alone for a while.

With a sigh, Wade got to his feet and limped down the aisle to the door which led onto the platform. His backside was still tender and sore and sitting for two long a period of time was difficult. Besides, he needed time to think. He just had to figure out how to talk to the taciturn Marshal.

After Wade walked off, Matt sat back and closed his eyes with a sigh. He had no clear idea why it was so important to the insistent supposed brother to know how it was between he and Kitty. But years of keeping that part of his life hidden had made it a habit too hard to break.

Truth was, he loved Kitty and her well-being was the one thing that meant the most to him. But he wasn't about to go into his feelings for her with a man he still wasn't sure of.

Just then the conductor came rushing down the aisle. "Excuse me." He stopped at Matt's side. "Are you Marshal Dillon?"

Matt looked up and nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh, good." The conductor looked relieved. "Could you come with me?"

"Why?' Matt frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Well, it's your friend." The short little man with gray hair and wary expression answered. "He's hurt."

"Hurt?" Matt's frown turned into a scowl as he wearily climbed to his feet. "How? He just left here a couple minutes ago."

"Well, I know but he fell off the platform." The conductor shook his head. "He caught himself at the last minute, but he's pretty banged up and I don't think he can walk."

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Thank you everyone that I can't PM. I appreciate your comments very much.**

The second day of the tournament and the beginning of the final leg found the players hard at work, trying to be the winner of what promised to be a huge sum of money. This part of the tournament was going to be even more intense than the first as it was winner take all. There would be no set number of games. The participants would play until one of them walked away with the all of the money.

"I'll take two." Kitty threw down two cards and watched as the dealer placed two more in front of her. Picking them up, she kept her expression neutral as she spied the cards she needed. Glancing at each of her competitor's faces she looked for signs to tell her what hands they held.

Tump Winston was the easiest one to read. After only five rounds, Kitty could already tell that, though his expression remained impassive, his right eye twitched just slightly when he was pleased and he'd clinch his jaw when he wasn't. He was currently clinching his jaw.

Ace Helmick was harder to read. Not only did he control his facial expressions, showing a smile regardless of his hand, but he also controlled his body. No easily recognizable tell-tale signs that would signal his approval or displeasure at the hand he held.

But that wasn't to say she couldn't read him. A subtle lift of the shoulders told of a hand not to be won. And a small twinkle in his hazel eyes promised good fortune for him. Right then he was displaying neither of those traits so he probably wasn't yet certain of his hand.

Wayne Russell was the hardest of all to read. Like Ace, he kept a smile on his face and like Ace he controlled his body to allow no one to read his mood but unlike Ace, even the tiny little clues she'd been trained to look for weren't there. Though he'd not been the one to teach her how to play poker, she realized he'd either been taught by the same person she was taught by or had taught that person.

Still, Kitty didn't worry about it. To her, poker was a game of skill more than luck and she had skills that few could match. However, as she looked around the table at the men sitting there, she was pretty sure; they may be numbered among those few.

"I'll take one." Wayne threw down a card and picked up the one dealt to him without expression.

"I'll stand." Ace said when the dealer looked at him.

"I'll take three." Winston said as he tossed down his old cards and picked up the three new ones.

Taking another look at her hand and the men surrounding her, Kitty bet $500 on the cards she held. Wayne saw the bet and up'd it $200. Ace saw that but didn't raise it.

All eyes turned to Tump whose expression uncharacteristically soured as he tossed his cards face down on the table. "I'm out."

Another round and more cards dealt and more betting and Kitty was about certain she'd won the game. She had a straight flush, Jack of spades high. But she knew all too well that either Ace or Wayne Russell could beat her even with that hand. Solemnly she waited as they placed their bets then called.

Ace gleefully laid down a full house and waited quietly for what he was sure were his winnings. But Wayne's smile out shown his as he placed his own cards down, revealing 4 kings.

"And what do you have my dear?" Wayne offered her a patronizing grin.

"Oh, nothing much." Kitty's expression remained the same as she waited for Wayne to reach towards the pot. When he did, she reached out and laid her cards down. "Nothing more than a straight flush, that is."

For a moment, surprise and pride played upon Wayne's face before he carefully tucked his thoughts back behind the façade of the professional gambler and sat back, watching Kitty rake in the money.

"Well played, Kitty." Ace grinned.

Kitty didn't reply as a break was called and she sat back, waiting for her chips to be counted before rising from her seat.

Wayne followed her up and quickly stepped to her side. "Kitty, I'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind."

"About what?" Kitty asked glancing down to the hand he'd placed on her wrist.

Wayne let go of her arm with a sigh. "I wanted to know how you're doing." He said simply. "And why you're here? I thought you were happy back in Dodge with that Marshal. Why risk coming to a place like this?"

"I am fine." Kitty answered with a roll of her eyes. "And the rest of it is none of your business."

"I think it is my business." He insisted, stepping forward to block her from leaving. "You are my daughter."

"No, Mr. Russell." Kitty glared up at him. "I am not. Not any longer. You lost that privilege. Now get out of my way."

Wayne wanted to say more but the defiant look in his daughter's eyes warned him against it. He remembered her mother wearing such a look at times and he knew once her mind was made up, it would not be easily changed. With a nod, he stepped back and allowed her to pass. "We'll talk later, Kitty." He whispered to her disappearing form.

Once outside of the hazy, smoke-filled room, Kitty took a deep breath of clean air, enjoying the way it cleared her lungs as well as her head. When she'd first saw him at the beginning of the tournament, she'd promised herself she wouldn't allow him to interfere with her concentration and focus. But when he'd blocked her way and started demanding answers he had no right to, she couldn't help but get angry at his intrusion into her world and her thoughts.

The man obviously knew no shame. What right did he have to question her or continue to claim her as his daughter? He certainly hadn't earned it. He'd done more for Wade than he had her and from what little Wade had told her, he'd done very little for him before he left and absolutely nothing afterwards.

Though the break from the game was short, Kitty couldn't stay close to the gambling hall. She knew she needed to get away, even if only for a few minutes, in order to calm herself down and organize her thoughts. Leaving the building, she walked down the street some distance, arms hugging her middle and head in a swirl.

She never saw the man following her.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: I know there's a lot of people that would love a description of the Palace Hotel and the El Dorado Gambling Saloon as well San Francisco itself. I'm so sorry to disappoint you. While I don't mind doing the research into it, I am just not patient enough or good enough a writer to include detailed written views of these historic places.**

 **And Guest, you were completely well mannered and I do thank you and everyone who is staying with me on this.**

mmmmmmmm

Matt leaned back in his train seat with a sigh. Wade was sprawled across the seat across from him, fast asleep. From what Wade told him, he was standing on the platform holding lightly to the railing when the train swayed going around a curve. Wade, unprepared for that, lost his grip and fell head over heels across the railing and was plummeting towards the tracks when he managed, just barely, to grab a hold of the railing, while screaming frantically for help.

The conductor saw him go over the railing and quickly rushed outside, grabbing the boy's wrist and holding on until Wade's foot could find purchase on the platform steps and he could pull himself back up. Though he had no broken bones, he had bruises from one end to the other and from the way he cradled his middle, either a cracked or at least badly bruised rib.

As irritated as the boy made him and as frustrated as he was at his constant questions and his following him around, Matt truly didn't want to see anything bad happen to him. And this time, it came too very close to being bad. Shaking his head, he thought about Kitty. He doubted she'd be very happy with him if something had of happened to Wade.

Whether he believed it or not, it seemed that Kitty had accepted that he was her brother and knowing how Kitty felt about family, he figured she'd be sorely upset and hurt should something go wrong with the young man while in Matt's company. That is, if she was in any shape to know about it. And until he got to San Francisco and found out for himself, he'd was going to worry that she wasn't.

"Mmmm mmmm"

Matt looked over to see Wade shifting around on the seat as he woke up. "Take it easy, Wade." He leaned over and helped him to a sitting position. "How you feeling?"

"Sore." Wade answered ruefully. "You know, I am 22 years old and I trav…" He let out a soft moan as he moved around to a more comfortable position on the seat. "Traveled all the way from New Orleans to Dodge, alone, and I never once got hurt until I came to Dodge and met you."

Matt frowned. "You blaming me for that?"

"No. No." Wade winced. "No, it's not your fault. It just seems that I've been in more danger around you, than I was alone."

Matt didn't reply, once again thinking about Kitty and how the same thing might've been said about her.

"When do you think we'll get to San Francisco?" Wade changed the subject when he saw Matt wasn't going to comment on his observation.

"If we're lucky, this afternoon. If not, late tonight or tomorrow morning." Matt answered.

"What are you going to tell Kitty when we do get there?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what are you going to tell her about why you're there?" Wade asked rather smugly. "I've not been around you for too long but I can already tell you don't like to talk about your feelings, so I doubt you'll want to tell Kitty that you were worried about her."

Matt lapsed into silence again which only served to spur Wade on. "Why are you so afraid of admitting that you care about her? She's not afraid of showing how much she cares about you."

Matt finally looked over at him. "She tell you that?"

"She didn't _tell_ me anything. But she did show it. Every time she looked at you I could tell how she felt. But you're not so easy to read. Only a couple of times did I see you even resemble a man who cared about her and even then I couldn't tell if you loved her or just didn't want to lose his free drinks."

Wade's words angered Matt and he had to rein in his temper before he throttled the boy. He knew Wade didn't know how it was with him. He didn't know his feelings about marriage and the law and how dangerous it was for Kitty. But it sure was tempting to add a few extra bruises to the ones Wade had already managed to get on his own.

"Marshal…"

"Wade," Matt glared at him. "I am going to say this just once more and you'd better not bring the subject up again after that. My relationship to Kitty Russell is NONE of your business. How I feel about her and how she feels about me is between us. Now leave it alone."

Wade laid his head back against his seat without reply. Despite the Marshal's obvious anger at being questioned, Wade wasn't about to give up. He still planned on questioning the Marshal, as well as Kitty later. But right then, as tired and weak as he was, he figured it best to close his mouth and his eyes and go to sleep. He wanted to be strong enough to keep up with Matt Dillon when they got to San Francisco.

The rest of the ride went swiftly and easily and they arrived in San Francisco late that evening. Hiring a cab from the train station, the two men hurried to the Palace hotel where Kitty was supposed to be staying. But the clerk at the desk informed them that Miss Russell and the other players hadn't returned as of yet and might not until the tournament was over.

Matt wasted no time in rushing back outside the opulent hotel, hailing a cab and ordering it to take them to the gambling saloon.

"Marshal," Wade frowned over at the big man as the carriage sped along the way. "Why are you in such a hurry? Kitty's probably perfectly safe at the gambling saloon. I can't imagine any trouble she could be in."

Matt glanced down at him with a scowl. "That's the difference between knowing her and only thinking you do." He snapped. "I can."

TBC

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	21. Chapter 21

The game was progressing and the players were tiring but they continued to place one card down after the other. After her brief breather in the park, Kitty, so far, was ahead. Tump Winston, who'd held such promise in Albert Brady's eyes, was about equal to Ace and Wayne. And Tump Winston didn't like that at all. Glancing over at his benefactor, Brady, he could tell he didn't either.

"Time for a break." Chambers announced. "You have half an hour."

As soon as her chips were counted and written down, Kitty got up from her seat and, as she had on each break, left the saloon. Tump Winston watched her leave and then glanced once again at Brady. A slight nod and he understood what he needed to do. As soon as he was given leave, he too rose and left the saloon.

Upon exiting out onto the boardwalk, he saw Kitty just disappearing around the corner going towards the park again. The peaceful acreage seemed to give her some sort of peace, and she'd gone there three times now. Though it was late, there were still people milling around on the street and he knew he'd not be able to do anything without being seen, at least not there. Hurrying his pace, Tump followed her into the lengthening shadows of the park.

Down the block, coming from the other direction, the hack carrying Matt and Wade was just approaching the saloon when they saw Kitty going around the corner and another man following her at a distance. Matt had no idea who the man was, but something about him set off bells. The direction they were taking was off limits to the cab but it wasn't for a long legged lawman intent on protecting the woman he loved.

"Driver." He hollered up to the short, bald little man holding the reins. "Stop here. Hurry."

As soon as the driver brought the carriage to a halt, Matt tossed him some coins and took off at a run, leaving a confused Wade behind to follow at his own slow pace.

Just as Matt reached the entrance to the park, he saw Kitty heading towards a bench near a small pond. He also saw the man, heading in the same direction, putting his hand in his pocket. Matt had an uneasy feeling he knew what was in that pocket. Putting on speed, Matt's long legs loped quickly towards the two, getting there just as the tall, dark haired man approached Kitty when she took a seat on the bench.

"Hold it!" Matt demanded when he got there, startling both Kitty and the dark haired stranger. "Take your hand out of your pocket." He demanded.

"Matt?" Kitty was thoroughly confused. "What in the world?" Then she looked from him to the guilty looking Winston. "Mr. Winston? What's this all about?"

"I don't know, Kitty." Matt shook his head as he easily grabbed Winston and forcefully pulled his hand out of his pocket, revealing the derringer he held in his fist. "But I don't think this fellow came to share card tricks with you."

"Let me go!" Winston demanded.

"Not yet, Mister." Matt snapped as he pulled one of Winston's arms behind his back. "You're going with me to see the law around here."

Confused and just a little rattled by Matt's sudden appearance as well Winston approaching her with a gun, Kitty frowned at Matt. "Just what is going on here?" She demanded.

"I came to protect you." Matt jerked Winston back by the collar as he struggled to get away. "And apparently i got here not a minute too soon."

"Who said I needed you to protect me?" Rationally, Kitty would've understood and been grateful for Matt's timely appearance, but at the moment her rationality was being replaced by the thought that he didn't trust her to take care of herself. "I'm not some child. Honestly, Matt. I'm a grown woman."

Matt rolled his eyes, knowing where this was headed if he didn't stop it right away. Jerking Winton's collar again, he looked down at him. "What were you planning on doing to her? And you'd better tell the truth or you'll wish you had."

Winston swallowed hard, knowing the big man meant business. "I... I was going to keep her from coming back to the game. I... I... I didn't think I could win against her so I... I was..." He dropped his head and Matt looked back over at Kitty with an arched brow.

Kitty got his point. Silently, she got up and followed them when Matt, without another word, turned, Winston in hand, and headed back towards the front of the park. As they got to the park entrance, they found Wade sprawled out on the ground, legs tangled in the roots of a tall tree.

"Wade?" Kitty rushed to his side. "What…"

"It's a long story, Kitty." Matt shook his head. "Just help him up and we'll explain it all later."

They arrived back at the gambling hall just as Chambers was calling for the players to return. Kitty cast a look at Matt. "Matt, I've got to go. Can you…"

"Go on." Matt pushed Winston into a chair. "As soon as I get this one squared away I'll be in there. You'd better tell them; you all are going to be a player short."

"Alright," she nodded as she helped Wade down into a chair and turned for the door. But before she could step away, Matt reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling back to him. Without preamble, he bent down and gently kissed her. "Good luck." He whispered to her.

Stunned, Kitty swallowed hard and turned back to the room. Right then, in her estimation, she didn't need luck, she had Matt.

"Well," Wade smirked. "It's about time you showed her something besides your badge."

"Shut up, Russell." Matt snapped.

"Oh!" Wade brightened even more. "You've finally accepted that I am who I say I am. You're acknowledging that I am Kitty's brother."

"I'm acknowledging that I'll hurt you worse than you already are if you don't shut up." Matt glared at him. "You understand?"

Wade nodded with a smile. He had part of what he wanted now. The big man had shown his love for Kitty and accepted him as her brother. Now if Kitty could win the game, he'd have it made.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

"I see your five hundred and raise you a thousand." Wayne Russell tossed the chips on the table and looked expectantly at Will 'Ace High' Helmick. Since they'd returned to the table, minus one player, the game had grown intense. The three remaining players were the cream of the crop of poker players and none of them were easily bested.

But, though he'd given it all he had, Ace Helmick had to finally admit that he was beat. He still had money on the table, quite a considerable sum compared to some games he'd been in, but not nearly enough to win against either one of the Russell's.

"I'm out." He sighed as he tossed his cards face down on the table and sat back to watch the remaining two players.

Kitty said nothing of his quitting that hand as she looked down at the cards she held. Two kings and three tens. A very good hand by all accounts and yet one that could easily be beaten by a better one if her father held it. For several seconds she debated her next move before finally she placed a thousand dollars in chips on the pile and called.

Gleefully, Wayne laid down three Aces, waiting expectantly for Kitty to throw in her hand and allow him to collect his winnings. But he was quickly disappointed as Kitty silently laid down her full house and her gaze met his. With all of his considerable skill, Wayne managed to hide both his surprise at her abilities and his disappointment at his loss. But it was difficult as he sat back and watched her rake the winnings to her side of the table.

"Would you three like to take a break?" Chambers asked them as he stepped up to the table.

"Two." Helmick sighed, putting what was left of his money in his wallet and rising from the table. "I'm out. These two have me bested."

Neither Kitty nor Wayne protested as they both knew that ultimately this had to come down to just the two of them.

"I don't need a break." Kitty answered coolly as she stared across at her father. "I'm just fine."

"As am I." Wayne pried his eyes off of his daughter and looked up at Chambers with a dismissive air. "We'll continue to play." He'd already lost quite a bit to her but he just knew he could win. He was after all the senior player and he still had close to $50,000 in his purse. He felt confident he could best his daughter.

"As you wish." Chambers stepped back and nodded to the dealer who took out a new deck of cards and began to shuffle.

Matt took care of Tump Winston, extracting a confession from him of his plans as well as his co-hort Brady and seen to it that Wade was comfortable and then slipped into the room. Walking over to the left side of the room, he took a chair next to some gambler he didn't yet know and began to watch the game.

He'd been more than a little surprised and irritated when he saw Wayne Russell at the table with Kitty and he planned to have a little talk with Wade as soon as this game was over to determine exactly what he knew about it. But in the meantime, he enjoyed watching his red head as she played.

Never much of a gambler himself, though he wasn't too bad, he was nevertheless impressed as he watched the skill with which Kitty and her father played. He knew Kitty was good and he'd heard about Wayne, but he didn't realize until right then, just how good.

"That woman is flat good." Ace murmured to Matt. "I admire her for more than her beauty."

Matt glanced over at the gambler but didn't reply. He had no idea who this man was, but he wasn't much in the mood to deal with him right then. He simply wanted to watch Kitty play and hopefully win and then get her out of there and back home. And if this gambler or her father tried to stop him, they'd never play cards again, he'd see to that.

For several moments, neither player spoke as the examined the cards they'd been dealt. Finally Kitty tossed $2,000 in chips on the table and stared silently across at her father.

Wayne followed, tossing the required amount onto the table without raising it.

After examining her cards again, Kitty looked up to the dealer and tossed two cards to the table face down. "I'll take two."

After dealing two cards to her the dealer turned his attention to Wayne. "Sir?"

"I'll just take one." Wayne answered smugly. After taking his card and placing it with his others, Wayne sat for a moment studying them before finally looking up at Kitty waiting to see what she would do next.

"$2000 more." She tossed that onto the table atop the amount already there.

"You must have something worth betting on." Wayne remarked as he matched her bet and then tossed $5000 in chips atop of that. "But then again, so do I. I see your $2000 and raise you $5000"

Expressionlessly, Kitty glanced at her cards again and then tossed in the $5000 and threw $10,000 in on top of that. "I see the $5000 and raise you $10,000."

Wayne did his best not to show it, but her demeanor as well as her continuing to raise the ante bothered him. He didn't have the absolute best hand a poker player could have but he did have one of the top three. With four nines in his hand, the only thing that could beat him would be a straight flush or four of kind of a higher card. Or she could be bluffing and he now realized he couldn't tell which it was.

Still, he was in this game to win. He needed to win. Taking the correct amount of chips, he tossed ten thousand on the table and then tossed twenty thousand more in with it. That left him with a little more than $8000 but he doubted Kitty would risk any more than she already had. He expected her to see the bet and call.

"I see you're twenty." Kitty threw the money on the table and then hesitated for a second, glancing at her cards and then across the table at Wayne's remaining chips. Waiting for just a second longer until she saw a slight uplifting of her father's lips, Kitty pulled another $8000 and tossed it in as well. "And I raise you $8000."

Wayne swallowed hard, studying his daughter's face for some clue as to her hand but he found nothing. He could not read her, though apparently she was reading him.

For several seconds, Wayne debated as to what to do but finally his pride won out. He would not let her see any sort of distress. Perhaps she was bluffing perhaps not. He was about to find out.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: I tried to update this earlier and couldn't get in. Sorry. And thank you to everyone who commented.**

Wayne had reached the end of the game and he knew it. What happened in the next few minutes would either make or break him. Picking up the required amount, he tossed it on the table. He had a little over four hundred left. 'Might as well.' He thought.

"I see your eight and raise you $400."

Kitty finally cracked a smile as she placed the money on the table and then called.

With an air of one who'd won the world, Wayne triumphantly placed four nines on the table. "Four of a kind."

Kitty pursed her lips as she looked down at her cards and then finally up at her father. Her smiled disappeared at that moment and Wayne was all set to rake in the winnings but instead, Kitty very slowly and deliberately laid down a straight flush. Ace, king, queen, jack and ten of hearts.

Wayne wordlessly stared at the cards for several moments. He knew it was possible that she could have such a hand but he'd hoped and had even convinced himself that she didn't. She couldn't have been that good a player and yet the proof that she was lay there before him in silent testimony to the fact.

As the dealer examined the cards and proclaimed Kitty to be the winner, Wayne finally got control of himself and offered her a smile as he stood from the table.

"Well, Kitty, I congratulate you. I am impressed."

"Thank you, father." Kitty graciously nodded. "But I wasn't really trying to impress you. I was trying to win this game."

"Well," he chuckled mirthlessly. "You certainly did that. What are you planning on doing with the winnings, if I may ask? Opening another business? Or perhaps, you plan on retiring completely."

"She's going to share it with me." Wade answered as he stiffly made his way to her side. He'd come in just as the game was finishing up and saw his sister win against his father. "I don't know what she'll do with her part but I doubt that's any of your business." Wade smiled coolly at his father. "Congratulations, Kitty. I knew you could do it."

"Wade?" Kitty quickly hugged him. "You okay? I thought you were going back to the hotel." When she'd come back in from the park, Matt had said he was going to send him back to the hotel.

"I couldn't Kitty." Wade answered. "I wanted to be here to see you win as I knew you would."

Wayne had thought, after Kitty's presence at the game and then her actually winning it, that he couldn't possibly be any more surprised. But that was until Wade Russell appeared. He hadn't spoken to the boy since he'd abandoned his mother so many years before, but he'd kept track of him and he'd seen him a time or two in New Orleans, though Wade knew nothing of it. But to see the boy here, with Kitty, Wayne was stunned.

"What's wrong, Father." Wade grinned over at him. "You just so happy to see both of your kids in the same room together that you're speechless?"

Wade was in fact speechless but that had never stopped him before. "Uh, uh, well, yes." He stuttered. "I mean, well, it's just that. I mean, well, how… how do you two know each other."

"We're related." Kitty answered with a straight face and an arched brow. "You should know that."

"Uhm, oh, I mean, well yes. Yes, of course, but I just, well I didn't know that you two had met, is what I meant." He was seriously floundering, trying to figure out the angles and just what this development would mean for him. He knew that Kitty didn't have the highest regard for him, neither did Wade, but alone, neither had seemed much inclined to act on that enmity. Would they together?

Just then, Matt walked up and Wayne paled even more. He knew the tough US Marshal from Kansas had no use for him. That had been plain when he left Dodge.

"Kitty." Matt walked up on the other side of her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You did good here." He glared at Wayne. "You were up against some stiff competition."

"Thanks, Matt." Kitty beamed up at him. "I'm glad you were here."

"Me too." He smiled at her then turned a glare in Wayne's direction. "I don't like you playing against dishonest gamblers alone."

Wayne swallowed hard. "I assure you, Marshal, I played completely honest."

"Oh, I believe you." Matt answered with a smug grin. "Because I think you know what would've happened if you hadn't." He looked over at Wade. He wasn't sure so the 'brother' wasn't in on Wayne's appearance. "You know he was here?"

"No," Wade shook his head. "Honestly, I had no idea who the other players were. I'm as surprised as you were."

"Uh huh." Matt grunted still not sure he believed him. "Well, did you get what you needed here?"

Wade nodded, smiling gratefully at Kitty. "Almost everything. Just a couple of items left."

"Oh?" Kitty looked over at him. "What else do you need?"

Wade glanced at his father. "This for one thing." He grunted as he pulled back his fist and punched Wayne as hard as he could. Instantly, he pulled his hand back and cradled his fist. "Ouch. That hurt."

The older man staggered back under the blow and if not for the table behind him, would've fallen to the floor.

"Wade!" Kitty gasped as she watched Wayne fall back then reached over and took Wade's hand to examine it.

"Let him be." Matt grinned. "Kinda wanted to do that myself. But he deserves first punch."

"Oh, Matt." Kitty shook her head, let go of Wade's hand and reached over, grasping Wayne's arm. "You alright?"

Wayne nodded, gently rubbing his bruised chin. "I... I... yes. I'm fine." He looked at Wade. "I guess you had the right to do that."

"I did." Wade glowered at his father. "So does Kitty. But she wouldn't."

"Well, uh." Wayne looked at the three faces in front of him and realized he had no friends there.

As the rest of the people in the room began to gather around Kitty, congratulating her and asking questions of her playing techniques, Wayne used the opportunity to do as he had before in his children's lives. He slipped away without another word.

Kitty silently noted his departure, knowing nothing she could say would change the man or make him into the type of father she and her brother deserved.

Matt noticed it too and instantly pulled her closer in comfort. He knew Kitty understood her father, understood what kind of man he was, but he knew that wouldn't keep her from feeling cheated yet again by the man that had sired her.

After Kitty and Wade collected the winnings, they, escorted by Matt, left the saloon and headed back for the hotel.

Quickly hailing a hack, Matt settled them all inside and then gave the driver instructions before turning his full attention to Kitty. As they drove off, Kitty laid her head back against Matt's shoulder and smiled up at him.

"I don't know why you're here, Cowboy, but I sure am glad you are."

"I'm here because I was worried about you, Kitty." Matt answered. "You had no business taking off the way you did. If that man, back there in the park had of…"

"But he didn't." Wade interrupted. "You stopped him, Matt. You saved my sister and you did it like it was personal. And it was personal wasn't it?" He was watching the tall man intently, demanding an answer.

Matt dropped his head. The boy wasn't going to quit. Glancing over at Kitty, he could tell she wanted an answer as well.

"Yes, it was, Wade." Matt finally answered. "It was completely personal. I love your sister and I will do anything and go anywhere to protect her from any one. Now is that the answer you wanted?"

"Yes, it was." Wade answered with a smug grin as he leaned happily back in his seat.

"Well, I do declare." Kitty said, looking up at Matt in amazement.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

"Wade all settled in?" Kitty asked when a couple of hours later, she opened her door to find Matt outside. He and Wade had been fortunate to get a room right next door to Kitty's and though the hotel clerk thought the two men would be staying in that room, Matt had no such plans.

"Yeah." He nodded as he swiftly entered, taking off his hat and coat. "He's pretty tired and a little sore. I got him some whiskey and made sure he was in bed and asleep before I left."

Kitty silently nodded, watching him while he began to get undressed. She and Matt had been intimate for some time now and it was not an unusual thing for him to come to her after dark and spend the night in her bed with her. But what had happened earlier was unusual and before they did anything else, she wanted to talk about it.

"Matt?" Her voice was softer than usual and it made him look up.

"Yeah?"

Kitty dropped her head, unable to look him in the eyes in case… "About what you told Wade. I…"

"I meant that, Kitty." Matt answered. "You know that. I know I've told you."

"Yeah," she nodded. "You have but…"

"But what?" Matt stopped in the middle of unbuttoning his shirt and really took a good look at her. He couldn't ever really remember seeing Kitty blush, but she was right then. "Kitty?" He moved closer to her. "What's wrong?"

She finally brought her eyes up to meet his. "You've never told anyone else that." She pointed out.

Matt shrugged in agreement. "Don't guess I have. But it doesn't mean that it wasn't true. I just…"

"Just what?"

Her scrutiny of him was a bit unnerving for a man unused to spoken words of sentiment. He was much more comfortable with showing her his love than speaking of it.

"I just never thought of it as anyone else's business." He answered. "What is between us should stay between us."

Kitty considered that as she moved away. Finally stopping, she met his gaze again. "Are you ashamed of me, Matt?"

"What?" Matt frowned. He couldn't believe that she'd ask such a question.

"Are you ashamed of me?" She repeated. "Is that why you don't want anyone else to know how you feel about me?"

Matt took a deep breath, understanding what she must be thinking. Stepping over to her, he pulled her tightly into his arms. "NO." He answered resolutely. "I am not ashamed of you. I could never be ashamed of you. I've just been selfish is all."

"Selfish?" She questioned.

"Yes." He smiled down at her. "I like what we have together and I don't like sharing it with the world. But never, and I do mean never, have I ever been ashamed of you. And as for not telling anyone else how I feel about you, well… well, you know how dangerous that can be. If the wrong people found out…"

"Matt." Kitty shook her head at him. "I hate to tell you this, but people already know about us."

"They know we're friends." Matt corrected. "But they don't know about 'us'. And I don't want them to."

Kitty shook her head and reached up, kissing him. She knew better and she suspected he did too, but right then she didn't care. He loved her, he'd said so to someone besides her and if he never told another soul, she'd be alright with that, as long as he told her again, in more than just language.

Matt bent down, responding to the kiss and pulling Kitty even closer. When their lips finally parted, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed. "I told you, I love you, Kitty." He said softly as he laid her down. "Now, let me show you."

Kitty smiled and eagerly reached for him but no sooner did he settle himself on the bed beside her than they heard a heavy thump and a cry of pain from the room next door. Wade's room.

"Ignore it." Matt advised as he moved in on her again.

But another bang and then a crash could be heard from the same room, followed by a loud "OUCH!" Kitty reluctantly pushed him back. "Matt, I need to check on him. He sounds like he may've gotten hurt or something."

"He probably did." Matt groaned. "But if he didn't, he will be."

Kitty shook her head at him, got up and headed for the door. "Save my spot, Marshal." She ordered.

Making her way, quickly, next door, Kitty knocked on Wade's door. "Wade? You alright? I heard a crash."

A couple of anxious moments later, Wade, red faced opened the door and let her in. "I'm alright, Kitty." He gestured towards the bed and the water glass that was now broken on the floor. "I rolled off the bed and hit the glass on my way down. When I got up, I stepped on a piece of broken glass and scraped my foot."

Kitty dropped her head, trying valiantly to keep from laughing. "Sit down, Wade." She finally managed to control herself. "I'll see what I can do about bandaging your foot."

A half hour later, Kitty slipped from the room, with a smile and a shake of her head. Foot bandaged and a fresh glass of water beside him, Wade was again in bed, going back to sleep. Now she could concentrate on the other man currently in her life. With a happy smile, she re-entered her room and quickly closed the door behind her.

"He's alright, Matt." He told the big man, sprawled across her bed. "He just…" She stopped when she heard a snore. Frowning heavily, she walked over to the bed and looked down. Matt was fast asleep.

"Damn." She muttered with an irritated shake of her head. For a couple of seconds she stood there, debating as to whether she should wake him or not. But finally, she realized she was just as tired as the Marshal. She'd had a long tense day and sleep sounded better or at least more sensible at that moment, than her previous plans.

Taking a deep breath, Kitty turned the light out and pulled back the covers on the side of the bed that the big man lying there wasn't occupying. "Move over, Matt." She grumbled. "I'm joining you."

As Kitty settled into the bed, Matt unconsciously reached out and pulled her into his arms, cradling her against him. Kitty didn't think he'd awoken which made his gesture mean all the more loving to her. Even in his sleep, he claimed her.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

The next morning came early. Matt, used to being awake at the crack of dawn, was up and dressed and had already slipped back into the room with Wade and was trying unsuccessfully to get the young man up.

"Come on, Wade. We need to get up and out of here. I want to catch the first train back home." He shook Wade's shoulder, but got his hands slapped in response.

"Go away." Wade mumbled.

"Wade." Matt shook his arm again. "Get up!"

"No!" Wade answered sullenly as he rolled over and put his pillow over his head.

"You know, you and your sister do have a few things in common." Matt shook his head. "She's not much on mornings either. And you're both just as stubborn."

Wade suddenly pulled the pillow from his face to reveal a happy expression and a wide grin. "You admit it." He chirped. "It's about time."

"About time for what?" Matt frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You finally admitted that I AM Kitty's brother. Which makes you…"

"Irritated." Matt finished for him. "Now get up and get dressed. I'm going to see if Kitty's up and maybe we can have some breakfast before we board the train."

"You probably just left there." Wade grinned. "Wouldn't you know already if she's awake?"

"Get dressed." Matt ordered as he turned and left the room.

Quickly, he stepped back over to the room next door and lightly tapped on the door. "Kitty?"

"Come in." Kitty called. "Where've you been?" She questioned when he entered to find her up, wearing a thin lace robe cinched about her waist with a wide ribbon.

"I was trying to get your brother up." Matt answered, closing the door behind him. "But, it seems, he's like you. He doesn't like mornings."

Kitty cocked her head. "You accepting that he's my brother now?"

Matt shrugged, "For now at least."

Kitty went over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, Matt."

"For what?" He frowned. "Accepting that he might be related to you?"

"Uh hum." She nodded. "And for coming after me and stopping Tump Winston and supporting me in front of my father, again, and for telling Wade what you did. It seems I have a lot of things to thank you for."

Matt bent down and pulled her closer, bringing her lips to his. "I'll give you an opportunity to repay me later." He grinned when they parted. "But right now we need to get dressed and get out of here so we can eat before we board the train."

Kitty's smiled dissipated. "Leave?" She questioned. "Matt, you just got here. Can't we stay a day or two and see some sights and maybe…"

"No." Matt answered regretfully. "Kitty, I would love to tour San Francisco with you but…"

"But what?" Her tone let him to know that his answer had better be a good one.

"But I have a job to get back to and very little money. It took most of what I borrowed from Doc to get that room next door for Wade and me. Well, for Wade anyway. And what little I have left I'll need for the train tickets home."

"No you don't."

Matt turned to see Wade standing in the now open doorway, in a large robe. "Don't you knock?" He snapped, stepping in front of Kitty due to her not being fully dressed.

"Not usually." Wade shrugged. "Besides, I need some help getting dressed. I must've hurt more than my foot when I rolled off the bed last night and my arm is really hurting. I can't move it well enough to get my shirt on."

Kitty instantly came out from around Matt and went to Wade's side. "Get in here, Wade." She took his good arm and led him further into the room, closing the door. "Let me look at your arm. Matt, would you go get his clothes?"

"No." Matt shook his with a glare at Wade. "He is not getting dressed in here with you, no matter who he is."

"Why not?" Wade piped up. "You did."

"OUT!" Matt pointed at the door. "Go next door and I'll take care of your arm and whatever else your problem is. But Kitty will not."

"But…"

"OUT!" Matt demanded, stiff finger still pointing at the door.

"See ya in a little bit, sis." Wade smiled at Kitty and then disappeared out of the door.

Matt shook his head in irritation then noticed Kitty was giggling. "Just what are you laughing at?"

Kitty shook her head and reached up, kissing him. "Nothing." She shook her head with a grin. "Just go take care of him while I get dressed. We can discuss whether we leave today or not at breakfast."

"Now, wait a minute." Matt stopped at the door.

"Go!" Kitty ordered with a laugh.

A half hour later, the three sat a table at the hotel restaurant and discussed their day. Although Matt didn't want it and he protested greatly, he finally agreed to stay in San Francisco a couple of days and spend time with Kitty seeing the sights, paid for by Wade. He insisted he owed the both of them that much at least.

"Just think of it as an early wedding present." He smirked in Matt's direction. He expected to get a rise out of the lawman, but it wasn't Matt that got upset.

"Wade, don't!" Kitty snapped. "Don't you…" She stopped and took a breath as she got to her feet. "Just don't." Quickly she hurried away.

"What'd I do?" Wade questioned. "I was just…"

"Yeah, I know." Matt shook his head as he got to his feet to go after her. "That's your problem. You just."

Wade frowned, as Matt left, chasing after Kitty. "Those two are strange." He muttered.

"Kitty!" Matt caught up to her just as she reached the doors leading outside. "Kitty, wait."

Kitty dropped her head when he neared. "I'm… I'm sorry, Matt." She sighed. "Wade shouldn't have said that. He…"

"He was just thinking out loud what everyone else thinks." Matt took her hand and held the door open for her. "Come on, let's walk some and talk."

After leaving the hotel, Matt steered them down the street, wrapping an arm around her waist. They'd walked a couple of blocks though, before Matt spoke again. "He's concerned for you, Kitty. He wants you to be happy. He wants me to do the right thing by you."

Kitty shook her head without looking up at him. "You've usually done the right thing by me, Matt. And besides, I'm not some little girl that you've led astray. I know what I'm doing and who I'm doing it with. And my personal life is none of his business."

Matt shook his head and stopped walking, placing a long finger under her chin and pushing her head up so that she would look at him. "He's like all the other men in your life, Kitty. He wants to protect you and he wants you to have your heart's desire. I don't blame him. I do too."

"You've already given me that, Matt."

"Not completely." Matt could see the truth of that statement in her eyes. "I know there's one thing you want that I haven't given you and right now can't give you. But I want you to know that I would, if I could. And you're the only woman I would."

Kitty smiled happily as she leaned up and quickly kissed him. "I know, Matt. I know."

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

While at breakfast, Matt, Kitty and Wade discussed when they were going to return to Dodge and Wade, with his new found wealth, back to New Orleans.

Matt wanted to go home immediately, but Kitty reminded him that the police might have some questions concerning his take down of Tump Winston. Besides, she said, she might not get a chance to come back to San Francisco for some time and wanted to explore her favorite city a little before she left.

Though Matt protested that he had a job to get back to and he complained about the shopping trip Kitty wanted to take him on and he grumbled about the fancy restaurant she insisted they visit, Matt finally agreed and actually had a good time for the two additional days they spent in San Francisco.

The weather was temperate and the accommodations were comfortable and he could walk around the town with his arm encircled about the woman he loved with little worry that anyone would see them or care.

The shopping trip he hated had actually accrued him a nice pair of boots and a couple of red shirts as well as a light blue one that Kitty swore matched his eyes.

The restaurant, he declared too high class for him, had steak and other foods that were delicious and filled him up completely, which was sometimes hard to do.

But best of all, he was able to spend two whole nights with Kitty in his arms, unconcerned about being woken up by anyone to attend to the demands of his job. Those nights they made sweet languorous love unhurried by need or time knowing that while there, time stopped and they began.

The only flies in the ointment were the inquiries they had to answer as to what had happened with Tump Winston and Wade.

The police inspector in charge of the case, Mike Pollard, wasn't too sure at first that the red head and the cowboy, as well as the young dude hadn't set the gambler up, as Winston said they did.

However, a conversation with Matt, followed by a wire from Matt's superiors, served to quell his suspicious nature and with signed statements from all three, as well as a reluctant confession and agreement to testify against Brady from Winston, Inspector Pollard let them go.

Another problem they encountered while there, was Wade's unique talent for mishaps. He tripped getting into a buggy and skinned his nose and if Matt hadn't of caught him, would've landed face first getting out. When walking through the restaurant, his coat snagged a chair and pulled it out into the path of a waiter who tripped over it and lost the tray of food he was carrying. A cup of coffee from that tray went flying and landed squarely on Wade's back.

But finally, when the day arrived for them to return to Dodge, Wade was, for the most part, in one piece and a whole lot richer. Though Kitty insisted that it wasn't necessary for him to pay her for her help, Wade insisted that she accept 10% of the purse anyway. After all, he pointed out; there would be no purse if she'd not gone in his stead.

The day they were to board the train, Matt left the rooms early to secure transportation to the station for them and their bags. As he reached the lobby, he heard his name called and turned to see Wayne Russell coming towards him.

"Russell." Matt made no attempt to disguise his ill will for the man.

"Marshal, the clerk told me that you and my children are checking out today. Is that true?"

"It is." Matt answered. "Though I would hardly call Kitty and Wade your children. You've not been much a father to them."

"No." Wayne nodded. "No, I haven't. And I know it's probably too late now to change that but…"

"But what?" Matt eyed him suspiciously. "You want to try?" He shook his head in disgust. "You had a chance several years ago with Kitty and you tried to cheat her. You had a chance with Wade and you ran out on him. I don't think you deserve any more chances, Russell. Do you?"

Wayne dropped his head. "I suppose not." He sighed. "But still," he brought his head back up, "I would like to see them one more time."

"That's easy, Father." Both men turned to see Kitty and Wade coming down the stairs towards them. "What is it you want with us?" Wade asked as he and Kitty moved over to Matt.

"I… I wanted to wish you both luck." Wayne reached out to take Kitty's hand but she refused it.

"Thank you, Father." Wade nodded at his sire. "But I don't really believe in luck and I don't think my sister does either. Everything we have was accomplished with hard work and determination and skill, not luck and not with any help from you." He gave Wayne a pointed stare and the older man shrunk back a pace.

"Right you are." Wayne acknowledged grudgingly. "But, well…"

"Well, what?" Matt demanded. "You surely don't think these two owe you anything."

"Oh, no, no, of course not." Wayne floundered. "As I said, I just wanted to wish them the best. I…"

"The best?" Wade questioned heatedly. "The best would've been if you'd never abandoned us. The best would've been if you'd seen to our well-being."

"You wouldn't know what was best for them or anyone else," Matt agreed. "Only for yourself did you think you knew what was best."

"I… I didn't mean…" Wayne was not used to being on the defensive and wasn't quite sure what to say. Indignant anger sometimes came in handy in situations like this, but he didn't believe it would work in this instance. He wasn't sure what to do about the two men who teamed up to attack him.

Kitty, up until then, had remained quiet, allowing Wade and Matt to speak as she studied the man who called himself father but in truth wasn't one.

"Look, everyone." Kitty suddenly moved forward and over to Wayne's side. "This is solving nothing and making no one happy." Kitty looked over to Wade and Matt. "As for you two, I understand how you feel but this won't solve anything. Anger and hurt only creates more anger and hurt."

Kitty returned her gaze to Wayne. "You made some very bad decisions when it came to Wade and me and for the most part you've never really been a father to either of us. But without you, neither of us would exist, so for that, thank you. And thank you, for staying out of our lives. It was hard for both of us, but because we had no parents to help us, we learned to help ourselves. But that is all you deserve and all you will get. I don't hate you, Father, but I don't wish you to be in my life. Do you understand?"

Wayne took a deep breath and nodded.

Kitty offered him a smile then and reached out, taking his hand. "Then it's goodbye, Father. I hope you have a safe trip home."

Wade pursed his lips for a moment, recognizing the truth of his sister's words. "The same goes for me. Good bye, Father." He reached out as well and shook hands.

Matt knew propriety demanded he shake hands with the man as well, but he couldn't quite make himself do so. "Russell." Was all he could manage as Wayne looked at both of his children, then turned and left the hotel.

Kitty watched her father walk out of her life for probably the last time and sighed deeply before finally forcing herself to smile as she linked arms with both Wade and Matt.

"Gentlemen." She chirped as she started them towards the saloon, housed within the hotel. "I need a drink. Come on. I'm buying."

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

The train trip back to Dodge was easy and uneventful. Even Wade managed to make it without one single calamity. In his estimation, things were looking up and he genuinely felt it had more to do with his sister than anything. She'd accepted him and shown him love and helped him when she really didn't have to. No one, other than Liza Jane, had really been willing to do that for him since his mother had died.

They were greeted at the train station by Doc Adams, Chester Goode and Liza Jane Blackburn, Wade's fiancé.

"Wade!" The young woman squealed when she saw him on the platform.

"Liza?" Wade so happy to see her that he started forward without thinking and would've tumbled off the platform and down to the tracks if Matt hadn't of caught his arm at just the last minute. With a smile of gratitude to Matt, Wade descended the stairs and rushed into the young blonde girl's arms, happily spinning her around. "What are you doing here?"

"I snuck off to join my fiancé. When I got here, I met Dr. Adams and Chester and they've kinda looked after me until you returned." She answered proudly. "Papa is probably furious by now but there is nothing he can do about it. I turned 21 this last week so I am officially a woman." She declared with an up-tilted chin.

Wade's eyes widened and he shook his head remorsefully. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry." He apologized. "I've been so carried away with the tournament and all that I completely forgot. I should've wired you and sent you flowers and…"

"Nonsense, Wade Russell." The blue eyed young lady shook her head with a dimpled smile. "You were securing our future and…" She stopped with an almost panicked look on her face. "You… you did win didn't you? I mean… well, if you didn't..."

"He won." Kitty stepped up beside the two with a grin and an outstretched hand. "Hello, I'm Kitty, his sister."

The young lady looked at Kitty and then Wade and then back again. "Sister?"

Wade nodded. "I know I didn't tell you anything about her but she's my sister and she's really the one that won the tournament. I was stuck back here in Dodge for a few days." He dropped his head, color rising to his cheeks in embarrassment.

"Oh, Wade." Liza sighed. "Are you alright?

Wade nodded. "I am now. Dr. Adams is wonderful and well, I had the help of Matt there and all."

"Matt?" Liza looked confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Wade shook his head as he turned and grabbed Matt's arm just as he approached. "Liza, this is Marshal Matt Dillon. He's my sister's…"

"Friend." Kitty quickly put in. "And we're all tired and dusty from the trip, so what do you say; we head into town where we can get freshened up and then we can all meet later and have a drink."

"Good idea." Matt nodded enthusiastically as he gripped his and Kitty's bags and pointed the way.

Wade glanced over at his sister and noticed the uncomfortable look on her face. Taking Liza's arm, he merely pointed north towards the town proper. "Come on, Liza, let's go."

Liza, who'd already registered at the Dodge House and didn't feel the need to freshen up in the slightest, was full of questions but Wade simply told her that they'd talk later and kept her heading on to the hotel. Apparently Kitty was as hesitant to discuss her relationship with the tall man as everyone else was. He decided he wouldn't push it.

A couple of hours later, a celebration was underway at the Long Branch. Not only were they celebrating Kitty's win for Wade but also Wade and Liza's upcoming marriage.

"So, Wade." Doc looked over at the young man. "With the amount of money Kitty won for you, you can do just about anything you want. Have you decided what that might be?"

"I sure have." Wade grinned. "I'm going to open a restaurant."

Kitty choked on the beer she'd just drank and her mind reeled at the thought of all the broken dishes and burned hands and accidents he could have in such a business. "A… a restaurant?"

"Yep." Wade grinned. "And before you get worrying my clumsiness, don't. I'm actually not clumsy in a kitchen at all. And I'm a darn fine cook."

"Oh, he is that for a fact." Liza chimed in. "Before we leave here, you all will have to allow Wade to cook you a meal. He's really, really good."

"Uhm, who's gonna run the business end of it?" Matt asked curiously.

"Oh, I'll do that." Liza answered with a proud smile. "You just wait, in a year's time the name Russell will stand for the finest food in San Francisco just like it stands for the finest saloon on the frontier."

"San Francisco?" Kitty frowned. "I… I thought you all would be heading back to New Orleans."

"No." Wade shook his head. "Liza and I talked it all over and we've decided we don't want to go back there. With father's reputation still hanging over me and Liza's father not really happy about the two of us being together, we've decided to head in the opposite direction and go there. From what I saw while we were there, it's a wonderful place and I think we'll do well."

"Well," Kitty shrugged as she picked up her glass and raised it for a toast. "Then here's to the both of you. I wish you total success and happiness."

"Not just us, Kitty." Wade nodded towards Matt beside her as he raised his glass to meet hers and the others around the table. "Here's to the success and happiness of both of us."

Late that night, after the party was over, Kitty and Matt lay snuggled up against each other in the big brass bed, simply content for the moment to hold each other and talk.

"You think those two can really make a success out of a restaurant out there?" Matt questioned.

"I don't know." Kitty shrugged, running her hand up and down the arm that encircled her waist. "You know it's funny, he came here to get into the family business of gambling and instead is going to get into the family business of a restaurant. If he can keep from accidently killing himself, that is. "

Matt chuckled. "He sure is accident prone. You know at first, I thought all of those little accidents of his were done on purpose."

"On purpose?" Kitty frowned. "Why on earth would he hurt himself on purpose?"

"To gain your trust and sympathy." Matt answered. "I'll tell you the truth, I didn't trust him at first. I heard from several people that while I was showing the Senator the prairie, he was running all over town asking questions about you and me and how close we were. I figured he was probably up to no good."

"What changed your mind?" She asked curiously.

"He did. On the train trip out there, he asked me several questions about us and all but as I was watching him, I could tell it wasn't because he wanted to do you, or even me, any harm. That boy barely knows you, but he truly does want you to be happy and he wants you as part of his family."

Kitty put her head back and leaned up, kissing Matt. "I am happy. You came for me when I needed you, despite your job and you admitted you loved me when you didn't have to. You made me very happy, Marshal."

Matt looked down at her with an almost saddened expression. "Even though I won't marry you?"

Kitty laughed and shook her head. "Who says you won't? You know, a few weeks ago, I swore I didn't have a brother and now look at me. If I can gain a sibling, who says I can't gain you for a husband someday too."

"Absolutely no one." Matt grinned as he pulled her to him. "No one at all."

END


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